title: Toward a positive psychology of mental retardation.
abstract: Researchers and practitioners alike have long focused on the external life conditions, adaptive behavior, and inclusion of persons with mental retardation. Using breakthroughs in positive psychology, this article proposes a new research agenda focused on the positive, internal states of those with mental retardation. It shows how major movements in the mental retardation field--quality of life, dual diagnosis, personality motivation, and families--have succeeded in some arenas but failed to address happiness and well-being. Examples of happiness--of positive emotions, flow, strengths, and virtues--are offered in people with genetic causes of mental retardation. Complexities related to etiology, measurement, flow, and a meaningful life are described, as is the vital role that mental retardation can play in the emerging science of positive psychology.
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37203, USA. elisabeth.dykens@vanderbilt.edu
authors.forename: Elisabeth M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Dykens
mesh_terms: D000339:Affect; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D006240:Happiness; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000523:psychology*; D009042:Motivation; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*