In response to Whitman, "Self-Regulation and Mental Retardation" (EC 222 812), the author holds that deficits in self-regulation are probably only part of the reason mentally retarded persons have difficulty in generalizing trained behaviors to non-teaching settings. (DB)

The educational and research implications of defining mental retardation as a self-regulatory disorder are explored. Behavioral, social-learning, and cognitive conceptualizations regarding the structure and development of self-regulation is examined. Self-regulation is described as a complex linguistically guided skill that can be taught through…

This paper presents a conceptual framework, based on training in self-regulation, for the normalization of sexual behavior in individuals with developmental disabilities. Four features of such an approach include acquiring appropriate sexual behaviors, generalizing skills, discriminating appropriate contexts, and evaluating one's actions. (DB)

In response to Whitman, "Self-Regulation and Mental Retardation" (EC 222 812), the author suggests that model weaknesses include its emphasis on language and cognitive processes, the questionable validity of the effectiveness of self-instruction techniques with lower functioning persons, and the mixed evidence for training generalization…

In response to Whitman, "Self-Regulation and Mental Retardation" (EC 222 812), the author sees parallels between Whitman's model and ideas of L. Vygotsky but also such differences as Whitman's focus on linguistic systems contrasted with Vygotsky's focus on the practice or activity of using language. (DB)

In response to Whitman, "Self-Regulation and Mental Retardation" (EC 222 812), the author raises four points: use of alternatives to language based interventions, questionable effectiveness of verbal self-instruction with the retarded, questionable practicality of gradual withdrawal of teacher prompting, and need for immediate testing of…

In response to Whitman, "Self-Regulation and Mental Retardation" (EC 222 812), the author distinguishes between operant and cognitive training methods to develop self-regulatory skills and disagrees with Whitman's observation that the procedures for teaching retarded persons are essentially the same as for nonretarded persons. (DB)

The author answers responses (EC 222 813-814) to his paper, "Self-Regulation and Mental Retardation" (EC 222 812). Research is encouraged into questions concerning the extent complex and independent adaptive behaviors can be taught to the retarded and the comparative effectiveness of verbal mediators or alternative approaches in…