Two studies were conducted to examine parameters of social attention in contingency awareness training using switch activation with individuals who had multiple profound disabilities. Study 1 compared leisure devices and social attention as reinforcing stimuli with 5 individuals. Results indicated the reinforcing qualities of social attention over…

The effects of microswitch-based programs on indices of happiness were evaluated with 9 students who had profound multiple disabilities. Each student received an ABAB sequence in which A represented baseline phases and B, intervention phases. During the latter phases, microswitches were used to enable the students to control preferred…

This study examined the relationship between psychopathology and motivation in 111 participants with mental retardation and psychiatric disorder and 11l participants with mental retardation only. The former scored higher on 8 of the 15 motives and had more motives above one standard deviation from the mean of the normative sample. Results support…

This study compared 21 children with pervasive developmental disorders (autism group) with 15 children with fragile X syndrome on the Childhood Autism Rating Scale and the Reiss Scales for Children's Dual Diagnosis. Seven of the fragile X children also scored in the autism range and were more impaired than the other fragile X children. (Contains…

This article introduces this special issue focused on application of guidelines based on the consensus of experts to the treatment of psychiatric and behavioral problems in persons with mental retardation. It explains the method of developing the guidelines, the limitations and advantages of the guidelines, and the organization of the guidelines.…

Examination of 1,273 individuals with mental retardation in a Virginia residential institution revealed that 15.55% also had psychiatric disorders. Males had a higher prevalence than females; individuals with mild retardation had higher rates than those with other levels of retardation. Prevalence rates are provided for specific disorders by level…

Analysis of data for 3,266 individuals from the 1987 National Medical Expenditure Survey found that residents of state institutions were more severely retarded and more often multiple disabled than were residents of other types of residential facilities. Relatively more persons with severe impairments resided in state facilities in states where…

Use of lithium with mentally retarded individuals with psychiatric conditions and/or behavior disturbances is discussed. The paper describes components of an adequate clinical trial and reviews case studies and double-blind cases. The paper concludes that aggression is the best indicator for lithium use, and reviews treatment parameters and…

The last in seven sets of guidelines based on the consensus of experts in the treatment of psychiatric and behavioral problems in mental retardation (MR) focuses on medication dosing. The guidelines cover classes of medication, specific medications, usual starting daily dose, and usual daily dose range. (DB)

The cytogenetic survey of 67 individuals previously identified as having mental retardation and autistic behaviors revealed only 1.5 percent with the fragile X chromosome. The finding suggests that most persons with fragile X syndrome do not have autistic behaviors severe enough to be identified as a secondary psychiatric diagnosis. (Author/DB)

A meta-analytic approach was used to determine whether diagnostic overshadowing judgmental bias reliably occurs when clinicians evaluate clients with mental retardation and mental disorders. The diagnostic overshadowing effect was reliable over the 349 studies reviewed, and the size of the effect was small to moderate. (Author/SW)

This study of 40 patients with mental retardation receiving carbamazepine found hyponatremia in only 5 percent of these patients and found a statistically, but not clinically, significant decrease in serum sodium levels in patients receiving anticonvulsant polytherapy. Results support the use of this drug with patients with mental retardation and…

The reliability of diagnoses of mental retardation severity was examined by comparing psychiatric and psychological case records of 126 dually diagnosed (mental retardation and psychiatric disorder) clients. Overall chance-corrected agreement was 0.47. Results suggested that the reliability of diagnostic decisions may be best evaluated by analysis…

Medical records of residents of a facility for persons with mental retardation from January 1, 1978, through December 31, 1997, were analyzed to identify incidence of sudden unexpected death for 180 individuals with and 125 without comorbid epilepsy. Eighty deaths were identified, with 55 occurring in those with epilepsy. (Contains 15 references.)…

Analysis of statewide (Oklahoma) survey data revealed that 22.5% of individuals with mental retardation who were served by the Oklahoma mental retardation system were receiving antipsychotic medication. Higher levels of medication use were found in institutional settings and Intermediate Care Facility settings. (Author/DB)