THE COMMUNITY ADAPTATION OF MILDLY RETARDED PERSONS

轻度弱智人士的社区适应。加州大学洛杉矶分校智力发育迟滞研究中心的社会行为小组在研究文化和种族对MR/DD患者、高危儿童和青少年及其家庭的适应影响方面已有28年的历史。我们的后续项目共同关注高危人群的青少年和青年转型。种族多样性正在迅速增加，青少年和青年过渡时期是机遇和风险并存的关键时期。每项研究都结合了诡辩的定量和纵向分析，以及定性和人种学的理解。加利莫尔和他的同事们继续研究在教育上有风险的拉丁裔移民青年中通往学业成功的途径。他们包括一个新的组成部分，重点关注那些纵向样本中在学校表现很差的孩子（在符合特殊教育条件的水平上），他们有很大的辍学风险。然而，在大多数情况下，这些孩子从未接受过学校或其他服务。Keogh， Weisner和Bernheimer建议对患有MR/DD的青少年和年轻人及其家庭进行全面评估，并对他们进行了12至17年的跟踪调查。我们研究青少年和年轻人自己的声音和观点，以及家庭在这个关键过渡时期的关注。家庭和儿童的历史最能说明当前家庭对青少年过渡的适应。Kernan， Tucker和Subramanian专注于比较洛杉矶三个非洲裔群体（非裔美国人，克里奥尔人和伯利兹加里富纳人）中高危和成功青年向成人过渡的关键青年。我们增加了David Takeuchi教授关于福利改革对有MR/DD、LD和相关精神疾病儿童的家庭的影响的重要新研究。从福利到工作的改革对那些需要照顾这些孩子的家庭和孩子们自己会产生什么影响？政策和干预的重点目前集中在许多这些问题上。转换服务的定义需要非常宽泛。我们的续篇讨论了如何最好地提供此类服务，以提高患有MR/DD的儿童、在学校和青年向工作过渡期间面临风险的儿童及其家庭的福祉等关键问题。

The Community Adaptation of Mildly Retarded Persons. The Socio- behavioral Group of the Mental Retardation Research Center at UCLA has a 28 year history of research on the influence of culture and ethnicity on the adaptation of individuals with MR/DD, children and youth at risk, and their families. Our continuation projects have a common focus on adolescent and youth transitions in at-risk populations. Ethnic diversity is increasing rapidly, and teen and youth transitions are critical periods of both opportunity and risk. Each study combines sophistical quantitative and longitudinal analyses, with qualitative and ethnographic understanding. Gallimore and colleagues continue their research on pathways that lead to school success among educationally at-risk Latino immigrant youth. They include a new component focused on those children in their longitudinal sample who are doing very poorly in school (at levels making them eligible for Special Education), and who are at significant risk for dropping out. Yet for the most part, these children have never received school or other services. Keogh, Weisner and Bernheimer proposed a comprehensive assessment of adolescents and young adults with MR/DD and their families who have been followed for 12 to 17 years. We study the voices and perspectives of the teens and young adults themselves, along with a study of family concerns at this critical transition. What in the family and child history best accounts for current family adaptation on teen and youth transitions. Kernan, Tucker, and Subramanian focus on key youth to adult transitions comparing at- risk and successful youth in three African-descended groups in Los Angeles (African-American, Creoles, and Belizean Garifuna). We have added an important new study by Prof. David Takeuchi on the impact on welfare reform on families with children with MR/DD, LD, and related mental illness. What will be the impact of welfare-to-work reforms on families faced with the need to care for these children, and on the children themselves? Policy and intervention priorities are currently focused on many of these issues. Transition services need to be very broadly defined. Our continuation addresses critical questions regarding how such services should best be provided to enhance the well-being of children with MR/DD, those at risk during school and youth to work transitions, and their families.