Abstract
Researchers in mental retardation have traditionally focused on cognitive aspects of the disorder and ignored social and personality factors. One consequence is that little attention has been paid to the mental health of mentally retarded persons. The argument is made that the personalities of mentally retarded persons are affected by the same factors that impact upon the personalities of nonretarded persons. The life experiences of mentally retarded persons, however, have been shown to lead to personalities that are often characterized by overdependency on others, low aspiration levels, and outerdirected problem-solving styles. These personality characteristics are implicated in the high rate of mental unhealth in mentally retarded persons. Finally, the value of extending the developmental approach to the study of psychiatric problems in mentally retarded persons is discussed.
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