Examines the debates between civil libertarian attorneys and psychiatric professionals. Focuses on the issues of deinstitutionalization, patients' rights, and institutional conditions. Discusses how coalitions can be formed and cites the deinstitutionalization of New York State's Willowbrook Hospital patients as an example of cooperation between…

Describes the implementation of a collaborative discharge planning program for a chronic psychiatric population. Emphasizes the importance of good communication between patient and professionals. Presents a case example. Findings suggest more substantial involvement of patients in after-care programs is needed. (Author/JAC)

Four articles address the 1978 Wyatt v. Hardin proceedings which debated the issues of the training/habilitation potential of institutionalized mentally retarded persons and the feasibility of placing these persons in community-based living facilities. (SB)

Behavioral studies have shown that youths in various settings can function effectively as behavior change agents. The study used five 15- to 18- year-old male youths in a closed institutional setting as behavior change agents for five male youth counselors. Staff increased their frequency of positive verbal comments. (Author)

Social perception deficits are intensified by incarceration. Social education programs can be used to identify, analyze, and remedy the difficulties experienced by the perceptually handicapped inmate. (JOW)

The relationship between self-concept and academic achievement was examined with 30 educable mentally retarded adolescent residents of a state institution. Results failed to demonstrate a positive relationship between self-concept and academic achievement in the areas of mathematics and reading. (DB)

The study evaluated the training progress of 38 institutionalized severely or profoundly retarded adults who received either paired social praise and edible reinforcement or social praise only. Results stressed the need for reinforcer sampling before initiating skill training. (DB)

The time judgments of the older participants were significantly and systematically determined by a metronome rate. Results are consistent with the notion of increased field-dependence among older persons and suggest that their greater social conformity and their inability to ignore irrelevant stimuli might also be explicable. (Author)

Summarizes research concerning the disengagement theory of aging and examines awareness of finitude. Interviews with residents of old-age institutions revealed awareness of finitude to be a better predictor of disengagement than chronological age. Future research should examine this predictor in noninstitutional settings. (Author)

The adaptive behavior and social interaction of 22 severely retarded institutionalized women (mean age 22.33) was studied. Observations showed that there was only minimal interaction among residents or with the staff. Few attempts on the part of the staff to encourage the independence of the residents were observed. (PHR)

A differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) procedure employed alone, and then in combination with restitution and positive practice, did not produce clinically significant changes in the rate of disrobing. Subsequently, the use of DRO plus restitution and negative practice reduced frequency of disrobing to either zero or one episode per…

Changes in the choice of significant others from pre- to post-institutionalization were examined in relation to life satisfaction in a population of well-aged retirement home residents. Concluded that a shift in significant relationships away from the family may be an important factor in successful adjustment to a retirement home. (Author)

The effects of labeling on mentally retarded individuals were studied using 80 psychology students as Ss. Ss reviewed transcripts of two bogus interviews and evaluated the interviewees--one was presented as retarded and institutionalized, one was presented as normal. Ss tended to rate the stigmatized person more favorably, a pattern termed…

Seventy-five staff members from private residential facilities for mentally retarded adults were surveyed to elicit their attitudes toward the sexual behavior and sexual knowledge of residents in their care. (PHR)

Used two instruments to compare delinquent and nondelinquent teenaged women in terms of sex role androgyny, sex role attitudes, and heterosexual relationships. Based on the results, questions the construct validity of the Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI) and the Personality Research Form (PRF ANDRO). (GC)