Após um levantamento inicial com 24 sujeitos, em uma instituição, foram observadas as ocorrências das auto-agressões de uma criança profundamente retardada, em diferentes situações do dia-­a-dia na instituição. Outras respostas da mesma criança foram também observadas e relacionadas com as auto-agressões. Dois grupamentos de ações foram identificados. Morder-se, juntamente com outras ações, aumentava diante de exigências de desempenho e restrição à locomoção; diminuía na presença de um pianinho ou quando havia música tocando. Bater-se na cabeça, juntamente com outras ações, pareceu ser controlado por estimulação auditiva. O conceito de auto-agressão foi discutido, sugerindo-se que comportamentos auto-lesivos (termo proposto, mais descritivo) poderiam ser auto-estimulatórios ou modalidades de agressão. Concluiu-se que o entendimento dos determinantes de comportamentos auto-lesivos pode dar-se através de sua análise funcional, feita em situação natural, pela análise de múltiplas respostas em múltiplas situações. Tal estudo pode trazer implicações para a elaboração de intervenções que promovam ganho significativos, múltiplos e permanentes. / A review of the existing literature showed a variety of self-aggressive acts*, which relate to other actions of the same individual. The same review showed furthermore that there are many situations in which such acts occur, with no agreement as to what originates and maintains self-aggression. After an initial survey in an institution including 24 subjects, the occurrence of self-aggressive acts was observed in a profoundly retarded child in different day-to-day situations at the institution. Other responses of the same child were also observed and related to the self-aggressive episodes. Most of the actions observed can be grouped into two classes of response. Biting herself and other related act ions increased in frequency when requirements were made and locomotion restricted, and decreased when a small piano was given to her or when music was playing. Hitting on the head and other related actions were seemingly controlled by auditory stimulation. The concept of self-aggression was discussed and self-injurious behavior (a more descriptive proposed expression) presented as either self-stimulation or a modality of aggression. It was concluded that an understanding of the determinants of self-injurious behavior can be achieved through functional analysis under natural conditions, including multiple responses in multiple situations. Such a study may have an impact on the development of measures that may lead to significant, multiple and permanent gains. * Self-injurious behavior is referred to, \"self-aggressive\" behavior.

The comparability of PPVT and PPVT-R scores among retarded adults were examined. The sample consisted of 96 clients, who had been previously diagnosed as mildly, moderately, or severely retarded. The PPVT (Form A) and PPVT-R (Form L) were administered to all participants in counter balanced order. Significant correlations were found between the two tests for the total sample as well as for females and males. Additionally, the PPVT-R was found to be capable of discriminating differing levels or retardation. However, with the exception of the severely retarded group, mean PPVT-R Standard Score Equivalent (SSE) scores tended to be approximately 20 points lower than PPVT IQ scores. Some clinical implications of these results were discussed.

The problem of this study was to evaluate Denton State School's Developmental Evaluation Form as it is now being used in their operant conditioning techniques in certain basic self-help areas, and to suggest a more effective and informative method of scoring the Evaluation Form. The present method of scoring this evaluation form requires that -all items at each developmental level be passed in order to receive credit for that level. No partial credit is given at any level. This method of scoring yields a developmental level at which. the individual is functioning. It does not, however, point out the total overall development of the individual. The present type of basal developmental scoring is not as discriminating as far as picturing an individual's total development as the one which will be suggested.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Social Work)) -- University of Limpopo, 1987 / Refer to document / Human Science Research Council (HSRC) and University of the North

The intention of this study is to describe some pedagogue`s expectations of the strategies, methods and approach the work from when it comes whit mentally retarded pupils and how thet plan their education. The study is based on four half stuctured interviewswhit very experienced pedagogues that work in a compulsory school for children with intellectual disabilities. The four interviews are recorded and adapted. To analyse and expound the data collection, a socio-cultural approach was used. The conclusion of my study was that the pedagogues who work in compulsory school fpr choldren with intellectual didabilities proceed from pupil`s level of development and pupils preundersrandning to consolidate new knowledge. The pedagogues attach particular importance in detailed planning so the education will be clear and structuralized. Communication, pictures and technical equipment are the tools that are used for the knowledge development of the pupils int the compulsory school for children with intellectual disabilities. With a socio-cultural view on teaching the pedagogues work with knowledge development. The teaching occurs during interaction with others. Group education is an aspiration of the pedagogues.

Šiame moksliniame darbe dėmesys yra kreipiamas į socialinių darbuotojų, dirbančių su proto negalią turinčiais asmenimis, darbo prasmės suvokimą per jų profesines patirtis. Profesinėje srityje socialinis darbuotojas yra sąveikos, kuriančios tam tikras prasmes su klientu, įrankis ir dalyvis. Savo veikla ir mąstymu jis nuolat vykdo tam tikrą prasmę. Savo veiklos prasmingumo suvokimas bei dvasingumas leidžia socialiniam darbuotojui jautriai įvertinti sudėtingus žmogaus gyvenimo reiškinius, ieškoti idėjų, analizuoti padarytas klaidas ir vengti jų ateityje. (Kavaliauskienė, 2008). Šiame moksliniame darbe per socialinių darbuotojų profesines patirtis siekiama atskleisti kokie vidiniai veiksniai lėmė darbo su proto negalią turinčiais asmenimis pasirinkimą, kokie veiksniai skatina/palaiko, suteikia prasmę likti darbe bei kokie veiksniai yra keliantys abejones išlikti darbe. Tyrimo objektas - socialinių darbuotojų, dirbančių su proto negalią turinčiais asmenimis, darbinės patirtys. Tyrimo tikslas - atskleisti socialinių darbuotojų dirbančių su proto negalią turinčiais asmenimis darbo patirtis. Tyrimo uždaviniai: 1) Atskleisti socialinių darbuotojų pasirinkimą dirbti su proto negalią turinčiais asmenimis lemiančius veiksnius. 2) Atskleisti su proto negalią turinčiais asmenimis dirbančių socialinių darbuotojų norą likti darbe palaikančius veiksnius. 3) Atskleisti socialinių darbuotojų, dirbančių su proto negalią turinčiais asmenimis, abejones išlikti darbe lemiančius veiksnius. Siekiant... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / This study is oriented to understand the meaning of work of social workers who work with mentally disabled persons by their professional experiences. A social worker is a like a tool and participant in the interaction with a client. The same interaction generates certain meaning with clients. Through his activities and a way of thinking the social worker constantly carries a certain meaning. The perception of meaning of their activities and spirituality allows a social worker to evaluate a complexity of human life, to generate ideas, to analyze mistakes and to avoid them in future. This study reveals some internal factors which led to choose to work with mentally disabled people, factors, which encourage/support and gives the sense to remain at work and which things can cause doubts about remaining at that particular work. The object of study is a variety of experiences of social workers who work with mentally disabled people. The purpose of this research is to reveal the experiences of social workers. The objectives of the research: 1) To reveal the factors which determine a choice of social workers to work with mentally disabled persons. 2) To reveal the supporting factors which allow a social worker to have a desire to remain at work with mentally disabled clients. 3) To reveal the factors which cause doubts about staying at current job position. In order to reveal work experiences of social workers who work with mentally disabled people has been selected a... [to full text]

Spivack and Shure’s (1974) Interpersonal Cognitive Problem-Solving (ICPS) model was evaluated on Educable Mentally Retarded (EMR) children. The major question was whether the implementation of Shure and Spivack’s (1978) Kindergarten Interpersonal Problem-Solving Program (KIPS) would enhance the ICPS skills and behavioral adjustment of EMR children up to the level needed for successful integration into the regular classroom. The study included 40 EMR children from ages eight to fourteen. The subjects were divided equally into two groups, one receiving Shure and Spivack’s (1978) KIPS program and one receiving informal social skills training. These groups were divided further into a younger group, ages eight to nine, and an older group, ages ten to fourteen. In both treatment groups the special education teachers directly administered the program to the children. The experimenter served as a consultant to the teachers. Two evaluation measure were used, Spivack and Shure’s (1974) Preschool Interpersonal Problem-Solving Test (an alternative thinking measure) and Kendall and Wilcox’s (1979) Self-Control Rating Scale (a behavioral adjustment measure). An analysis of variance was utilized to assess both evaluation measures. It was found that on the Preschool Interpersonal Problem-Solving Test there were significant main effects for the type of training the subject received (F=17.14, p<.01), the age of the subjects (F=6.26, p<.05), and pre- versus post-testing (F=56.11, p<.01). There were two significant interactions, a three-way interaction between age of subjects, type of training, and pre- versus post-testing (F=6.60, p<.05), and a two-way interaction between type of training and pre- versus post-testing (F=56.11, p<.01). The Newman-Keul’s Multiple Range Test was used to analyze the interactions. It was found that both the young and old experimental groups obtained a significant increase in their Preschool Interpersonal Problem-Solving Test scores from pre- to post-testing (p<.01) while neither the young nor the old control groups had a significant increase from pre- to post-test. On the other evaluation measure, the Self-Control Rating Scale, a significant main effect was found for pre- versus post-testing. There were no other significant main effects or interactions found. These finding suggest that Shure and Spivack’s (1978) KIPS program increases alternative thinking and ICPS skills, and improve the self-control of elementary aged EMR children. This study, beside being effective, was also cost-efficient. The program lasted only about five and one-half weeks and took only 10 to 40 minutes each day to present. In addition, the consultation model was used which reduced the amount of time the experimenter had to spend running the study. Inferences from the findings of this study may be limited, due to the possible lack of equivalent samples. The control and experimental groups were not matched according to SES and IQ. From the results of this study and other problem-solving studies involving children, there appear to be many areas that need to be further investigated.

A radical argument is presented that it is plausible to look at the condition of mental handicap as entailing dynamic cognitive processes which may be available to some degree of therapeutic intervention at a fundamental level. An overview of some broad aspects of mental handicap is presented and it is argued that much of the subject of mental handicap is based on assumptions which may not be justified. On the assumption that in normal infancy play is a powerful medium for promoting developmental change, aspects of the mentally handicapped child's inability to play is examined and discussed. This is done by adopting the Piagetian notion of decentration and showing how the concept has explanatory value for looking at change in the severely, or profoundly mentally handicapped child. A model of aspects of the process is developed and implemented as a computer simulation. This model entails he processes of "Integration and Differentiation" of hierarchical chunks. The prospects and usefulness of a developmental curriculum as a framework within which to work with the profoundly and severely mentally retarded is discussed. The notions of Integration and Differentiation are applied to systems of sensori-motor competence and presented as a candidate for a curriculum. A presentation of the Uzgiris & Hunt scales serves to provide the user with the means to understand where the child is "at" in the curriculum. The computer simulation is further developed to show how it could be extended to provide explanations for the effects of success and failure upon developmental process. The model provides an insight into the nature of stereotypy and the implications of the model are explored in a therapy undertaked with a mentally handicapped and withdrawn child. The relationship between the understanding gained here and the processes of normal mothering is introduced. The theme of the mothering process is develcped apd explored as a means of providing the mentally Nandi Gaped child with the experience of success that section 3 suggests is the means for promoting change. This is demonstrated via several case accounts. The transactional interface between the intractable organic and the potentially more plastic cognitive/social process is tentatively explored by a discussion of "eye contact". Finally an evaluative framework for the possible implications of the work are discussed.

Thesis (doctoral)--Göteborgs universitet, 1987. / Summary in English. Added t.p. with thesis statement inserted. Includes bibliographical references (p. 105-112).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1971. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.