title: Adult status of mildly retarded past-pupils from special education. Part one: Employment.
abstract: Among the accepted criteria for evaluating post-school adjustment of retarded persons are variables relating to employment and financial independence. The present study examined the post-school adjustment of 382 past-pupils of special schools for mildly retarded children in Ireland. Data were collected from school records and through structured interviews. Previous studies in this area were extensively reviewed and current findings confirm previously identified trends. Approximately three-quarters were found to be employed at the time of the study and just over three-quarters of these were in open employment. Additional detail revealed that two-thirds of those in open employment earned wages regarded as sufficient for financial independence, and the main occupations listed showed two-thirds were in unskilled employment. One-third of the past-pupils suffered from physical disability additional to mental retardation and this finding, not previously documented, is worthy of note. This characteristic, together with age, sex and I. Q. were the variables found to be most relevant to employment outcomes.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004495:Education of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007360:Intelligence; D008297:Male; D009790:Occupations