Thesis (M.P.A.)--Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, 1989. / Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 45-06, page: 2952. Typescript. Volume contains facsimile documents with various foliations. Includes bibliographical references (leaf [112]).

The main focus of this thesis is to investigate the mental worlds of intellectually disabled people. It is intended to provide information about how members of this population construe their environments and how recent changes in the philosophy of care have affected their construct systems. Personal construct theory is used as the model that underpins the studies in the thesis and a modified version of repertory grid technique is developed and used to explore physical and social aspects of each subject's environment. After a pilot study was conducted to establish the viability of using modified rep grid techniques with this population, a longitudinal study over a four year period investigated the social constructs of 15 intellectually disabled residents. Eight were still in an institution at the end of the study and seven had moved into the community during that period. A comparison group of eight staff were sampled at the beginning of the longitudinal study. Information is made available concerning the size and complexity of each subject's construct system. It was found that the size and content of the construct systems of intellectually disabled people is limited relative to the comparison group and does not change significantly over four years. construct systems were analysed using two computerbased programs that solved the patterns of interrelationships and a graphic presentation of the network of significant correlations between constructs was completed. It was found that the graphic presentation was adequate for the intellectually disabled respondents but not for the comparison group. No difference was found between the community-based group of intellectually disabled people and those still resident in the hospital after four years. A further study with 17 intellectually disabled people, parents and non-parents, found no difference in their construct systems of children. These results are discussed in the context of the present philosophy and practice of normalisation and social role valorisation.

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Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin. School of Nursing, 1976. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record.

Thesis (M.S.)--Brigham Young University. Dept. of Counseling Psychology and Special Education, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 68-80).

Relocation stress may be one factor increasing the mortality rate of people who are severely and profoundly retarded (S/P MR) when they transfer from institutional to community living arrangements. However, no research exists concerning acute stress effects with groups who are S/P MR. In this project, 28 residents of a state facility for those with S/P MR were exposed to five-minute structured educational tasks. Venous blood samples were drawn before and after the stressor. Granulocytes, red blood cells, hemoglobin, and plasma protein increased while monocytes decreased after stress. Immune cell subsets did not change significantly. Hemoconcentration, an important factor in thrombosis and ischemia, may relate to relocation stress in S/P MR populations. Methodological factors limit generalization but additional research with larger samples, more indices of stress, more poststress blood samples, and additional stressors are encouraged.

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the degree MASTER OF EDUCATION in the Department of Educational Psychology of the Faculty of Education at the University of Zululand, 1996. / The aim of this investigation was to examine the life-world of Indian parents' with a Down's syndrome child. Down's syndrome is the most commonly occurring form of mental retardation that is known to be caused by a genetic defect It is also known as Mongolism because of the Eastern (Mongoloid) slant of the eyes or as Trisomy - 21 because it is caused by the presence of an extra (third) chromosome on the twenty-first pair of chromosomes. Although a Down's syndrome child can result from any pregnancy the incidence thereof increases with the age of the mother - the older the mother the higher the risk. One out of every 640 babies born has Down's syndrome. The Down's syndrome child's experience of his impairment was described in terms of his relationship with himself, others, objects and ideas, and God. Meaningful and active acceptance of his impairment by the child seems to be possible if parents unconditionally accept the child and share his experiences by rendering sustained and responsible assistance and support. Parents of Down's syndrome children experience their parenthood in a different way from the parents of normal children for the simple reason that they are parents of children with special needs. Their initial reaction after discovering the child has Down's syndrome is shock and disbelief followed by anger, disappointment, denial and often guilt feelings. In general, parents with disabled children are unable to accept and/or assimilate in a responsible way their unusual experience of parenthood without professional support. Parents need adequate support right from the very birth of a disabled child. For the purpose of the empirical investigation a self-structured questionnaire was utilized. An analysis was done of the questionnaires completed by the parents of Down's syndrome children in the Durban area. The data thus obtained was processed and interpreted by means of descriptive statistics. In conclusion, a summary and findings emanating from the literature study, and the descriptive statistics were presented. Based on these findings, the following recommendations were made: Genetic services of the Department of Health must be made better known and more available to the general public. From the initial diagnosis of a Down's syndrome child support should be rendered to the parents to meet the special needs brought about by a disabled child. Existing information concerning the care and education of Down's syndrome children must be utilised in the compiling of counselling programs for parents.

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