Simple mental addition in children with and without mild mental retardation.

The speeded performance on simple mental addition problems of 6- and 7-year-old children with and without mild mental retardation is modeled from a person perspective and an item perspective. On the person side, it was found that a single cognitive dimension spanned the performance differences between the two ability groups. However, a discontinuity, or "jump," was observed in the performance of the normal ability group on the easier items. On the item side, the addition problems were almost perfectly ordered in difficulty according to their problem size. Differences in difficulty were explained by factors related to the difficulty of executing nonretrieval strategies. All findings were interpreted within the framework of Siegler's (e.g., R. S. Siegler & C. Shipley, 1995) model of children's strategy choices in arithmetic. Models from item response theory were used to test the hypotheses.     

Self-concepts of adolescent siblings of children with mental retardation

Self-concepts of 70 adolescent siblings of children with profound levels of mental retardation were investigated. Their mean self-concept was compared with a matched group of 70 adolescent siblings of children without profound levels of retardation. Using the Tennessee Self-concept Scale, two variables (maternal self-concept and siblings' self-concept) were assessed for differences between siblings and mothers (the target group) of mentally retarded children and siblings and mothers (the comparison group) of children without mental retardation. No significant mean difference between the two groups suggests no special difficulties in psychosocial adjustment for siblings of the mentally retarded.     

Siblings of children with mental retardation: Family characteristics and adjustment

Siblings of children with mental retardation may be at greater risk for adjustment problems because of family stress related to the needs of the child with mental retardation. Family dimensions were investigated to determine their relationship to sibling adjustment. Adjustment of 12 siblings of children with mental retardation was examined in relationship to family dimensions. These relationships were compared to those for children from families without a disabled child. For both groups, self concept was positively associated with family cohesion, and social competence was positively associated with family promotion of independence. For only the siblings of the mentally retarded children, family conflict was inversely related to social competence, and family organization was positively related to sibling self concept. Our results suggest that family conflict and disorganization appear to have a more negative effect in families with a child with mental retardation.     

Classroom behavior and children with mental retardation: Comparison of children with and without ADHD

Thirty-four children (ages 6–12 years) with moderate to borderline mental retardation were studied in a laboratory classroom setting to determine whether children identified as having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder on the basis of Conners Questionnaires differed in classroom behavior. Half of the children scored 15 or greater on both the Parent and Teacher Conners; the remaining children scored 11 or less. All were participants in a Saturday Education Program serving children with mental retardation. Direct observation of the laboratory classroom documented significant differences between groups on measures of on-task behavior and fidgetiness, especially during situations where little direct teacher feedback or supervision was available. Saturday Education Program staff, while blind as to group designation, rated the two groups as differing significantly on all scales of two standardized behavior problem checklists. Checklists by parents and teachers appear to be valid measures of classroom behavior of children with moderate to borderline mental retardation.This research was supported by a grant to the first author from the National Institutes of Child Health and Human Development, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, grant No. 1R29HD26186-01A1. The authors gratefully acknowledge the assistance of the staff of Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh's Saturday Education Program: Nancy Hall, Aimee Hart, Phyllis Loeffler, Robin Nelson, Christina Poljak, Kelley Sacco, Sarah Stewart, and Mary Zuberbuehler.     

Specific aspects of psychological disorders of performance in children with epilepsy

We examined 49 normal intelligent epileptic and parallelised in sex, age and intelligence just as much healthy and 14 minimal cerebral damaged children without seizures. Using a psychological test battery psychic/psychomotor speed, flexibility/preservation proneness, memory span and memory and concentration were registrated. Besides reduced memory performances we found a deceleration of psychic/psychomotor speed as primary basic disorder within the performance structure of epileptic children analogous to our previous examined adults. The tridimensional comparison suggests remarkable psychopathological differences among the two groups of patients.     

Teaching simple addition to children with mental retardation using a microcomputer

Computer assisted instruction (CAI) was used for improving the efficiency of simple addition (single-digit without carrying) computation in three children with mental retardation. The training program, conducted on a portable personal computer, consisted of demonstrations and repetitive practices on simple addition presented in a vertical format. A number of behavioral instruction techniques such as direct feedback, corrective demonstration, verbal association, and token reinforcement were also included. To evaluate the effects of the CAI package, a multiple-baseline across subjects design with followup was employed. Results showed that performances of children improved with training and were maintained at 1-week, 4-week, and 12-week followups. Generalization of the learned skills was evident when children were assessed on a paper-and-pencil addition test in a vertical format. The skills were also transferable, with initial prompting, to a computerized addition test in a horizontal format. These findings reaffirmed the applicability of CAI and behavioral techniques for teaching math skills to children with mental retardation.     

Word-attack skills in individuals with mental retardation

This article assesses the state of the literature on word-attack skills and phonological awareness (PA) in individuals with mental retardation, in light of progress towards the development of effective teaching procedures. The literature contains promising findings. Studies have shown PA to be correlated with word-attack skills in individuals with mental retardation, as has been shown conclusively in typically developing children. This suggests that instruction in PA would facilitate the acquisition of word-attack skills in individuals with mental retardation, as it does with typically developing children. As of yet, however, very few experimental studies designed to demonstrate effective teaching procedures for PA and word-attack skills have been published. This research field might evolve most effectively and efficiently by following a two-step research program. First, test new teaching procedures in a series of small-N studies, each study incorporating modifications of teaching procedures based on the results of the previous study. Once procedures prove effective at this level, the resources necessary to pursue large-scale studies can be used to their best advantage.     

The abilities of children with mental retardation to remember personal experiences: implications for testimony

Investigated the abilities of children with mental retardation to remember the details of a personally experienced event. A simulated health check was administered to 20 children with mental retardation and 40 normally developing children, half matched on mental age (MA) and half matched on chronological age (CA) with the children with mental retardation. The children's memory was assessed immediately after the health check and 6 weeks later. Overall, the children with mental retardation accurately recalled the health check features, provided detail, and resisted misleading questions about features that did not occur. The group with mental retardation performed similarly to the MA matches on virtually all of the memory variables. The children with mental retardation performed worse than the CA matches on most of the memory variables, although they were able to recall a similar number of features. The findings are discussed in terms of the ability of children with mental retardation to provide accurate testimony.     

Health-promoting physical activity of adults with mental retardation

This literature review describes the physical activity behavior of adults with mental retardation consistent with the U.S. Surgeon General's recommendation of 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on 5 or more days per week. The proportion of participants achieving this criterion ranges from 17.5 to 33%. These data are likely to be generous estimates of activity as individuals included in physical activity studies to date have been relatively young and healthy volunteers with mild to moderate limitations. Major sources of physical activity were walking and cycling for transport, chores and work, dancing, and Special Olympics. There is a pressing need to conduct studies using appropriately powered representative samples and to validate measures that assess physical activity less directly; including methodologies in which proxy respondents are used. Accurate information about existing patterns of behavior will enhance the development of effective strategies to promote physical activity among persons with mental retardation.     

Ministry and mental retardation

Conclusion This has been an attempt to show how the parents of the mentally retarded inspired me to take a second look at my theological views, to show the method I used, and to give a few instances out of many in which my theological views have been affected. If space had allowed, it would have been good to show how this human predicament can cast new light on our theological thinking about grace, redemption, and many other categories. On the other hand, each of us has a chance to pursue in depth any single doctrine, using the added perspective of this particular crisis situation.Each of us has the original theological perspective which we had before beginning our pastoral involvements with the mentally retarded and their families. Then, as we focus on this human situation we become aware of an added theological perspective that helps us to take a second look from a different viewpoint. We then find our original view has been reinforced, modified, or enlarged. It is my feeling that a pastor who becomes involved with these particular persons-who need his services very much—will find a golden opportunity to grow theologically.If any of us feel we know all we need to know about God and life and man, this would be a good time to become involved in a pastoral way with a mentally retarded person and his family and get to know them well.     

Culture and mental retardation

The Psychological Record -     

Cognitive correlates of laterality in mental retardation

Correlations of various laterality score for 202 persons with cognitive test scores in the seventies of mental retardation are presented.     

Pupillary responses in recognizing awareness in persons with profound mental retardation

Pupil-size changes have been shown to indicate positive or negative reactions to several sensory and psychologic stimuli in normal persons. Whether this could be extended to mentally retarded patients who lack ability for verbal or motor behavior was tested by pupillary responses to several visual, tactile, and auditory stimuli. 24 institutionalized severely and profoundly retarded patients were examined by video camera in their usual environments rather than in a controlled laboratory setting. The videotapes were later projected onto a screen for pupil-size measurements. Pupils dilated with pleasant stimuli, including visualizing a familiar person, soft touch to the arm, music, and soft compliments. There was constriction with presenting an unfamiliar person, rough grasp of the arm, and abrasive noise and harsh commands. The findings demonstrate the existence of pupil reactivity in profoundly retarded persons and suggest such testing as a means of determining which elements of their environment are pleasing or aversive to them.     

Neuropsychological evaluation and rehabilitation in mental retardation

A discussion is provided of issues related to neuropsychological assessment of mentally retarded individuals. The first matters considered are test selection in relation to mental age and diagnostic issues. Various methods of evaluation are then considered, including assessment of orientation to sound and visual stimuli, language comprehension, right-left discrimination, and abstract and symbolic processes. Methods are also reviewed for detailed evaluation of language functions including testing for aphasia and for academic skills such as reading, writing, and calculation, as well as for spatial and constructional abilities. A section is devoted to use of neuropsychological assessment for rehabilitation of various disorders such as congenital aphasia, alexia, and spatial-constructional disorders.