The article reviews characteristics of autism that affect adaptation to residential settings. A description of existing residential options, based on experiences in Great Britain and North Carolina, is presented. The development of residential programs specifically for people with autism is encouraged because their needs are often not met in…

The article advocates extension of "permanency planning" in out-of-home placements to include children and youth with developmental disabilities. Though some states currently operate programs according to the principles of permanency planning, significant changes in existing federal policy are recommended to require permanency planning…

The Mini-Course Enrichment Program was developed by the University of Ottawa and Carleton University (Ottawa, Canada) to offer a week-long on-campus program for gifted students in grades 8-12. Student selection, staffing, and program operations are described. (JDD)

Questions the practice of impelling or coercing secondary students in New Zealand to participate in a residential outdoor education week. Suggests methods for decreasing elements of compulsion and increasing student choice (empowerment) to bring about more positive results from outdoor education experiences. (KS)

In this study, interrater reliability of the Motivation Assessment Scale (MAS) was investigated utilizing 84 direct-care staff members familiar with 42 adults with moderate to profound mental retardation. Problematic overt behaviors were evaluated using the MAS. MAS items were found to be moderately but significantly reliable across raters.…

Notes that some children and adolescents display what might be called "negative resilience" in that they are intractable to almost all efforts of adults to mold or redirect them. Sixteen-year-old Kevin describes how he furiously fought all efforts to change him and how he found courage to turn his life around. (Author/NB)

Changes in sizes and types of residential facilities for persons with mental retardation over the past two decades are discussed and interstate variability (as of June 1988) in residential services examined. Progress, though unevenly realized, is noted in numbers of small, community-based residential opportunities. Standards for federal policy are…

Analysis of confirmed incidents of abuse of persons with mental retardation in public residential facilities indicated that the number of confirmed incidents was relatively small; direct care staff members committed and reported most incidents; most abuse incidents occurred on the second shift; and abuse committers were more often males.…

Retrospective analyses were conducted on a remainder population of 361 individuals with mental retardation at a rehabilitation institute. One-third of the clients appeared to be gaining from the institute's programs. Programs dealing with daily living and more conceptual material appeared to be more effective than vocational programs. (Author/DB)

A group of 35 mentally retarded females (mean age 31 years) from a residential treatment facility was examined for signs of sexual abuse. Positive findings were found in 37 percent of patients. Discussion focuses on implications for residential facilities, this population's need for advocacy, and the value of a team approach. (Author/DB)

This symposium overview briefly summarizes following articles which identify problems in the quality of care provided by Intermediate Care Facilities for the Mentally Retarded (ICF/MR), provide reactions, and identify positive trends. An emphasis on regulations and compliance is thought to be a major obstacle to quality services. (DB)

This paper contrasts the rhetoric of quality assurance with the realities of poor quality in today's Intermediate Care Facilities for the Mentally Retarded (ICF/MR). The ICF/MR operational model is described as paper oriented, failure based, and insensitive to the effects of its own practices. Recommendations include the establishment of local…

Comprehensive assessment of personality traits of 110 direct service personnel employed in community residential units for the intellectually disabled was conducted. Overall, personnel exhibited nonaberrant profiles of personality traits, and there was a notable lack of psychopathology. Sensitivity was significantly elevated, seemingly a desirable…

Assessed knowledge, attitudes, and behavior related to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) among 55 youth in residential centers. Found respondents relatively knowledgeable about AIDS and how to prevent it. Substantial proportion did not hold positive attitudes toward prevention and engaged in unsafe behavior. Short intervention that…

Presents Life Space Interview (LSI), effective intervention strategy for use during crisis work with troubled students, as it was applied to case of eight-year-old boy attending Option III class for emotionally handicapped students when he accompanied class to mall for holiday shopping trip. Following interview are instructional comments on the…