Background: The pleasant and sociable personality of children with Down syndrome (DS) has received a fair amount of attention in the literature. This study examined the disposition of adolescents and adults with DS, while attempting to control for psychopathology. Method: Individuals with DS were divided into two groups according to the presence…

The author, a therapist, relates the 2 year process of psychotherapy with Heather, a 19 year old Down's syndrome girl. Psychotherapy was seen as the least restrictive alternative because it recognized that the girl, in addition to some concerns related to her handicap, was upset by her own inner emotional pressures and entitled to a neurotic…