Visual preferences of students with profound mental retardation and healthy, full-term infants

Abstract

Thirty students with profound mental retardation (age range: 3–5 to 19–11) and 30 healthy, full-term infants (5–8 months) were shown 12 stimuli, three times each. Four patterned stimuli were presented one to a card and each pattern appeared in black-and-white, black-and-yellow, and red-and-yellow. Both groups looked significantly longer at face patterns than other patterns. Students with profound mental retardation looked longer at black-and-white patterns than other color combinations. Infants looked longer at red and yellow cards than did students with profound mental retardation. The measurement method was practical, reliable, and sensitive to both within and between group differences. Results from this assessment method may help determine the most salient visual stimuli for evoking active-alert states for students with profound mental retardation. Individual variability was evident in the data, which demonstrates the importance of examining preferences for each individual when planning intervention. Implications for future research and intervention are discussed.