POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS

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An understanding of positive relationships between people and how to produce positive relationships has enormous theoretical and applied significance. What a positive relationship is, and even whether it can be clearly defined, is a matter of considerable debate. Nevertheless, understanding ways to enhance positive relationships between people offers the possibility of substantially enhancing people's communicative abilities, improving family and other interactions, achieving more effective teaching, and reducing a variety of aberrant behavior. These issues are particularly critical for people with mental retardation because they have greater difficulties in these areas. The research proposed here will: (1) identify naturally occurring patterns of interaction that suggest the development of positive relationships between people with mental retardation and their teachers; (2) evaluate whether these patterns of interaction are judged by members of the community as being characteristic of positive relationships; and (3) develop and evaluate methods to teach people with mental retardation and their teachers to engage in activities that will produce more positive relationships. Thus, the research should clarify that a positive relationship is as well as specify methods to produce more positive relationships between people.