ATTITUDE STUDY OF PARENTS OF MENTALLY RETARDED CHILDREN

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Abstract
Initial reactions and concerns of parents to a diagnosis of mental retardation in their child are recorded in 67 families. The cause of the retardation and rejection of the child were the two chief areas of subjective concern. Other reactions were rejection of the diagnosis and solicitude for other medical problems of the child. Even after complete diagnostic study, rejection of the diagnosis of retardation occurred in one third of these families. Our data suggest that initial counseling of parents of retarded children should be centered primarily on a discussion of diagnosis, etiology, and immediate problems. Subsequent counseling should be directed toward the problems of future care. The importance of sympathetic follow-up care by the physician is emphasized.

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