The effect of level of stereotypy on learning a discrimination was examined using a factorial design with high and low levels of stereotypy and three levels of IQ with 30 institutionalized retarded persons. Results indicated the effects of stereotypy were different across the IQ levels. (Author/DB)

Evaluation of the cognitive, behavioral, and adaptive functioning of 12 retarded men with fragile X syndrome indicated that fragile X men were largely indistinguishable from comparison groups. They were, however, significantly more likely to have achieved levels of adaptive functioning commensurate with their intellectual abilities. (Author/DB)

Sleep patterns of 103 institutionalized individuals with profound mental retardation were explored. Almost 40% were found to have short-sleep patterns. Short-sleep was predicted by blindness; nonshort-sleep was predicted by diagnosis of cerebral palsy and sodium valproate usage. Techniques for minimizing possible negative consequences of…

The representativeness of behavioral observation samples with durations of less than the whole time of interest was investigated with five profoundly mentally retarded physically handicapped adults in an institutional setting. It was found that the session representativeness was a function of the relative duration of the behavioral categories and…

This survey of nine institutional and community settings serving persons with severe handicaps found (1) in groups managed by one or two staff, staff interactions, and client adaptive functioning improved with decreased group size; and (2) improvement in staff performance and client behavior from addition of staff to a client group was marginal or…