A factor analysis was performed on the 24 domains of the AAMD (American Association on Mental Deficiency) Adaptive Behavior Scale using a sample of 217 adult retarded workshop clients. (Author)

The study investigated vocational activities of 274 English young people between the ages of 15 and 21. Two-thirds entered occupational centers for disabled adults; only 5% found a job in open employment. The physically impaired experienced a more difficult transition but the mentally impaired faced a more limited range of vocational choices.…

Boatworks, a subsidiary of Stepping Stones Growth Center in Oakland, California, provides work experience to developmentally disabled persons and helps them learn skills useful in private sector jobs. Workers learn job responsibility, quality control, and work safety procedures and are paid according to productivity. (CB)

No correlation was found in a rehabilitation workshop between a client's adjustment had his perception of a positive relationship with his staff supervisor. Correlations were found between social self esteem and work adjustment and between good work adjustment in the workshop and successful placement in competitive employment. (Author/EAK)

Critically reviewed are studies on employment of mentally retarded persons as paraprofessionals. (Author/MC)

Reports a conference attended by participants from 15 countries who discussed programs designed to return mentally ill individuals to productive life. (SB)

Four main areas for research focus on study of workshop staff attitudes toward alcoholics, evaluation of the dependency dimension of alcoholism dynamics, and study of the role of the occupational center in the alcoholics aftercare and vocational retraining. (Author)

The validity of the Vocational Adaptation Rating Scale (VARS) for predicting placement of 125 mentally retarded workers in sheltered workshop settings was investigated. Results indicated low to moderate significant partial correlations with concurrent placement and one year follow-up placement (controlling IQ, age, and sex). (Author)

Cites some examples of effective employment creation, but warns that this is likely to be more difficult in the future due to increasing unemployment and underemployment, demographic shifts, strains on social support systems, and changes in the nature of work. (Author/CT)

Results of this experiment indicate that instructional guidance, related to job-seeking skills and job-maintenance behaviors, enhances worker personality orientations of physically handicapped sheltered workshop employees. A strong positive change in agreeableness in getting along with co-workers and employers is indicated by the Agreeableness…

Two studies increased the low production rates of two severely retarded workers in a sheltered workshop setting; the first study by using differential reinforcement, and the second study by using a system of self-delivery of reward and self-evaluation. (Author/DLS)

Sheltered workshops are asserted to be failing to provide mentally retarded clients with appropriate work experiences because of low wage rates, unavailability of work, changing industrial forecasts for blue collar employment, financial dependence, tax returns, segregation, and normalization issues. (Author/DB)