title: Investigating the phenomenon of helplessness in mentally retarded adults.
abstract: Helplessness, or the inability to take effective action in a problem situation, appears to involve both behavioral-motivational and competence factors. As a personality characteristic, it may cause difficulties in community adjustment for mentally retarded persons. Helplessness in a group of mentally retarded adults was investigated through a set of behavioral and questionnaire measures specifically adapted for this population. Similar measures were applied to a CA control group. Both institutionalized and noninstitutionalized retarded subjects exhibited significantly more signs of helplessness than did the nonretarded control subjects. The results support the hypothesis that helplessness is a meaningful personality dimension among retarded persons and can be objectively measured.
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003631:Day Care, Medical; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000150:complications*; D007360:Intelligence; D007389:Internal-External Control; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D010324:Passive-Aggressive Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis; D010551:Personality; D011340:Problem Solving; D012647:Self-Assessment; D012737:Sex Factors; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012919:Social Behavior; D014888:Wechsler Scales