Reevaluation of two studies on relationships between nonhandicapped and severely mentally retarded children (ages 8-12) suggested that nonhandicapped children work harder, receive and emit fewer social reinforcers, have less opportunity to play and have fun, and achieve lower levels of social play when the playmate is physically handicapped as…

The study investigated the effectiveness of an instructional program designed to promote independent walking in a mentally and physically handicapped (cerebral palsied) preschooler involving a collaborative effort between a behavior therapist and a physical therapist in an interdisciplinary setting, a public school. (Author/DB)

This study presents data on the physical, developmental, and behavioral characteristics of a group of 203 nonambulatory persons with profound mental retardation. It found a high prevalence of physical and medical problems, as well as high rates of self-injurious, stereotypic, and aggressive behavior and high variability in cognitive and adaptive…