Behavior modification techniques were employed for 20 weeks with six profoundly retarded children (aged between 9 and 13 years) to improve play habits and daily living skills. (DB)

The author seeks to show how appropriate and reasonable risk-taking can and should be worked into the daily living experiences of the mentally retarded in America. (Author)

Research on psychotropic drug use by the mentally retarded and associated behavioral toxicity is reviewed, and suggestions for future research are offered, with implications for community based service delivery. (SEW)

Three elementary students with mental retardation used a computer-based instructional package to practice purchasing skills and the dollar plus strategy. The instructional package utilized video footage and a constant time delay procedure to facilitate skill acquisition. Skills did not generalize, although changes in purchasing behavior in the…

This study examined acquisition of cell phone use by 14 middle school students with moderate cognitive disabilities. Results indicated that all participating students successfully learned and generalized into community settings the skills of identifying when they were lost and then using a cell phone to call for assistance. (Contains references.)…

Two learning-disabled, three educable mentally retarded, and two trainable mentally retarded senior secondary students were trained to count money rapidly. All subjects significantly improved their counting rates, maintained a 90 percent level of accuracy, and maintained their skills across settings and over time. (Author/JDD)

Findings from a 1985-86 study of mentally retarded persons (N=370) over age 62 living in residential facilities indicated similarities in their medical care needs compared with needs of the general older population. Differences were in areas such as level of retardation and independent living skills, which increase assistance needs but not…

"Picture Exchange Communication System" (PECS) training was implemented with 5 nonspeaking adults with mental retardation who were not currently using any type of functional communication system. A modified ABAB, single-subject design was used to assess the effectiveness of PECS in enhancing the functional communication skills of these…

The Leisure and Recreation Behavior Evaluation (LRBE) measure is intended for use by direct care staff of mentally handicapped adults. The LRBE evaluates an individual's level of independence for a leisure or recreation behavior on a 4-point rating scale for 30 aspects divided into six major categories: (1) the activity, (2) preparation and…

Six retarded young adults were trained to select grocery items using picture cards as cues and to reject either (1) maximally different negative examples or (2) minimally different negative examples. Training with minimally different negative examples was functionally related to improved rejection of nontrained negative items in a nontrained…

Stressful problems of adolescence are related to the retarded and parent-educator collaboration suggested in trying a merit badge system to foster the learning of personal, social, and economic skills by retarded youth. (KW)

Two residential alternatives--family care and group homes--for deinstitutionalized mentally retarded adults were compared. Residents in both settings displayed essentially no improvement in self-care skills. Family care home Ss were significantly more likely to improve their maladaptive behavior. Group home Ss were more likely to improve community…

The viability of a short-term residential facility for the mentally retarded was examined, using client discharge and developmental growth data. Discharge for the profoundly retarded was not achieved. Findings highlighted the restraints imposed on evaluating one component of a large service delivery system. (MH)