Self-concepts of mothers who show mental retardation

The Tennessee Self-concept Scale was orally administered to 27 mothers with mental retardation and self-administered to 95 mothers whose children attended daycare in the areas in which the former mothers lived. Analyses showed that the mothers with mental retardation scored significantly lower on all subscales. Where 72% of the comparison group scored above a recommended cut-off indicative of a positive self-concept, only 33% of the mothers with mental retardation did. Comparisons of the 27 mothers with mental retardation (18 with positive versus 9 with negative self-concepts) on personal, child, family, and other background variables suggested different relationships for the two groups. Cross-validation of the present work and studies of the actual childcare of these latter two groups of mothers are needed.