This is a report of a descriptive study in which a random sample of fifty out of four hundred returned questionnaires from parents with a mentally retarded child were analyzed. The foci of analysis were: (1) parental attitudes toward the child; (2) the changes experienced by the family as affected by birth order and sex of the mentally retarded child; (3) how the diagnosis was accomplished; and (4) how in their opinion services during this diagnostic period could be improved. The data revealed that: (1) protectiveness toward the child is the predominant parental response; (2) negative changes are probably twice as high with an only child who is retarded; (3) male retardates are somewhat more disruptive than are female; (4) diagnosis must be individualized; however, generalizations which can be made include: understandable language, patience, empathy, and above all honesty.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:pdx.edu/oai:pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu:open_access_etds-2605 |
| Date | 01 January 1973 |
| Creators | Daggett, Betty |
| Publisher | PDXScholar |
| Source Sets | Portland State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Dissertations and Theses |
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