Four studies found serious problems with components of the federal Medicaid program's survey process for evaluating intermediate care facilities for the mentally retarded--surveys did not discriminate between certified and noncertified units, direct-care staff behavior was very reactive to the survey's presence, and service providers had divergent…

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…

The Personal Appearance Index, an assessment of physical appearance and personal care, was used to assess 12 youngsters with autism who lived at home, in group homes, or in institutions. The index showed differences in the appearance scores of institutionalized children compared to others and was used to provide feedback to the children's…