Counseling Problems that Accompany the Diagnosis of Mental Retardation

• Main Author: Daggett, Betty
• Format: Others
• Published: PDXScholar 1973
• Subjects: Children with mental disabilities > Family relationships; Mental retardation > Diagnosis; Counseling; Social Work
• Online Access: https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/1606; https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2605&context=open_access_etds

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.