Two studies attempted to assess the effect of the mental retardation label on the formation of social impressions in mentally retarded (MR) adults. In the first study, 123 mildly retarded students, half of whom were institutionalized were interviewed and asked to respond to questions about individuals pictured (some of whom were labeled as MR).…

This first section of this paper reviews the literature on the social world of the institutionalized elderly. Social factors contributing to institutionalization are discussed, including the personal and psychological background of residents. Social behavior and the institutional environment are reviewed, focusing on social interactions among…

Patients in long-term care facilities are often moved from one living area to another within an institution. While the staff often consider such moves as part of the daily work load, even intrainstitutional relocation has been observed to have negative consequences for the elderly patient. If staff could identify those patients who might…

The rural black population outside the South is characterized as an extremely small number whose presence is largely adventitious, attracted by circumstances that do not lead to permanent residence. In this population, an extraordinary number live in group quarters rather than households, are military rather than civilian and are in hospitals or…

To determine whether the addition of milieu principles to a contingency program increases its effectiveness, the investigators compared two treatment programs in a mental hospital: (a) a social learning or token economy approach and (b) a combined social learning and milieu approach. (Author)