Describes behavior and background of adolescents in a therapeutic community and proposes that all experiences in the residential context need to form a single integrated psychotherapeutic process. Central consideration is of the significance of food and its treatment potential in this total process. (Author)

Compared mortality rates for residents who transferred rooms within long-term care facility for reasons other than health (N=207) and for residents who did not move (N=353). Found mortality rates higher for moderately competent residents who moved than for non-movers; mortality rates for movers of high or low competence did not differ from those…

Considers informed consent standard inadequate for insuring autonomy in long term care. Argues for complex standard of "negotiated consent." Illuminates philosophical argument by qualitative data from interviews with physicians, nurses, and social workers in nursing homes, which demonstrated continuum of interventions ranging from…

Used multiple regression models, developed in the analyses of one prospective study, to identify the probability of institutionalization in the short- and long-term for elderly persons (N=3,883) with various constellations of high risk characteristics. Illustrates the distinct advantages of using combinations of traits instead of individual…

Examined patterns of consistency and change on the basic personality and symptom scales of the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory in alcoholics and drug abusers. Both alcohol and drug abuser samples showed significant changes on most personality and symptom scales between intake and one month into treatment. (Author/BL)

Maladaptive behavior of 474 persons from a residential facility for mentally retarded individuals was investigated. Multiple regression analysis revealed that maladaptive behaviors were related to sex, social age, chronological age, resident's time spent on outside activities, number of residents per direct-care staff member, presence of sensory…

Institutional residents with Downs syndrome (N=413) were matched on sex, length of hospitalization, and IQ with residents of other diagnostic categories. Comparisons were made on 62 items of the Client Development Evaluation Report. Significant effects of age were found on 38 items and of diagnosis, on 19 items, but significant Age X Diagnosis…

A social/sexual skills training program for institutionalized mentally retarded adults using a commercially available table game and a specially designed card deck featured response-specific feedback, self-monitoring, individualized reinforcers, and individualized performance criterion levels. There were increases in all skill areas.…

Structured interviews with staff compared the extent to which mentally retarded persons participate in society when services are provided through the institutional or integrated organization. Significant differences were found in community participation, with higher levels noted for integrated Ss. (CL)

Examined relationships between age, value of time over both short and long term, perceived time to death, self-perceived activity levels, and estimates of brief time intervals in a sample of older institutionalized males. Time intervals were increasingly underestimated with advancing age, indicating that time units are short with increasing age.…

Following court-ordered programing, more of the 115 profoundly retarded residents judged to be high funtioning gained in social maturity age than individuals from the 92 low funtioning group. Findings suggested that the profound classification of mental retardation is too broad. (CL)

A study of effects of a sex education program on the socio-sexual knowledge of attitude of 83 mildly intellectually handicapped adults revealed that community based know more initially than institutionalized Ss, and all Ss showed an improved knowledge and attitude score after the program compared to control. (Author/CL)

Examined the impact of relocation on the health of chronic care patients (N=45). Results showed relocation had no effect on 13 of 18 health measures. Positive effects were noted among patients who were relatively young, had good morale, and were satisfied with their new surroundings. (JAC)

This study investigated the causal attributions juvenile delinquents make for other's behavior and the salient pieces of information they use to arrive at these attributions. Participants were 82 male juvenile offenders selected through an a priori power analysis, drawn randomly from the population of juveniles incarcerated at a correctional…

A foster care program for children who are mentally retarded is an alternative to institutional placement. A special conviction of Retarded Infants Services (RIS) has been that families with a retarded child should especially be sought as foster families. (CS)