Palmore's Facts on Aging Quiz was completed by 245 respondents (28%) from developmental disabilities (DD), aging, and other social service agencies in Washington. Overall, respondents got 64% correct; DD personnel scored lower than others. Most often missed items related to psychological aspects of aging, demographic trends, and socioeconomic…

Summarizes information presented in the American Association on Mental Retardation's 1998 publication, "State of the States in Developmental Disabilities" (Braddock, Hemp, Parish, and Westrich), which reports data on the implementation of managed care for persons with developmental disabilities. A table summarizes information about…

Analyzes the Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, the scholarly professional journal of the Australian Society for the Study of Intellectual Disability for the past 28 years. Examines changes in the nature and orientation of contents, type of publication, the professional background and affiliation of authors, its reflection of…

This study compared the social skills of 36 adults, all with profound mental retardation and 12 with autism and 12 with pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDDNOS). Autistic subjects differed significantly from the other two groups and the PDDNOS group demonstrated better nonverbal social skills than the autism group but not…

The Childhood Autism Rating Scale was factor analyzed to determine if distinct and independent "subgroups" of symptoms could be derived consistent with current multidimensional theory and nosology for autism. Five factors were identified which distinguished subjects with autism from subjects with pervasive developmental disorder not…

A study compared a brief and an extended functional analyses of three adults with serious developmental disabilities and aggressive or self-injurious behavior. Both analyses revealed the same controlling variables, but the brief functional analyses took less than 20% the time in analog conditions as the extended analyses. (Author/CR)

This article assessed productivity of authors and research institutions in the area of developmental disabilities through review of all reports published between 1979 and 1999 in six applied developmental disabilities journals. Tables list the top (most productive) 21 individual authors and the top 50 institutions. (Contains three references.) (DB)

Explores use of tests with more- vs. less-precise age norms to identify disabilities in preschool children. Standard scores associated with the same raw score shifted gradually across age groups on tests with more precise norms, and shifted more dramatically on tests with less precise norms. Indicates that many preschool tests have norm tables…

Fifty-six children with either autism or pervasive developmental disorders not otherwise specified received one injection of secretin, a gastrointestinal hormone. Re-evaluation 3-6 weeks later found minimal but potentially significant improvements, including changes in gastrointestinal symptoms, expressive and/or receptive language function, and…

Examines the trend to use person-centered planning (PCP) in the provision of services to people with developmental disabilities. Reviews the history of this approach and warns that the implementation of PCP will be disappointing if the procedure is applied rigorously without regard for the context of relationships and agreements necessary for it…

This paper reviews current knowledge of the genetic epidemiology of autism and other pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs). It notes widespread agreement that the PDDs are caused, at least in part, by genetic factors and some agreement on the phenotypic boundaries associated with these same genetic factors. Remaining research issues are…

Three databases were analyzed to investigate the range and frequency of terms in the field of mental retardation/developmental disabilities. The most prevalent term over the last 15 years was "mentally retarded." The terms "cognitive impairment" and "developmental disabilities" have been used more frequently in the last five years. (Author/CR)

A study of 2560 individuals with developmental disabilities found that individuals residing in community settings experience greater social integration into the community than those in institutional settings; however, social integration was found to be more strongly related to consumer satisfaction in institutional settings than in community…

A study conducted functional analyses of the elopement of three children (ages 4-11) with developmental disabilities. The results identified a maintaining reinforcer for the elopement of one child and reinforcer assessments clarified the reinforcers for the other two. Results of the assessments were then used to develop successful treatments.…

Explores how the trends toward long-term community care affecting people with developmental disabilities developed. Appropriateness of care and quality of life issues are discussed. Reviews the development of long-term care for frail and disabled elderly people and explores the arguments for a continuum of care that have developed in this area.…