Darrell Lilly

Date of Award

2000

Degree Name

Psychology

College

College of Liberal Arts

Type of Degree

M.A.

Document Type

Thesis

First Advisor

Roger Mooney

Second Advisor

Patsy Wilkerson

Third Advisor

Paul Wiese

Fourth Advisor

Tammy Willis

Fifth Advisor

Stephen L. O’Keefe

Abstract

Providing long term care for individuals with mental retardation is one of the most difficult issues confronting mental health and extended care facilities. Inappropriate behaviors related to long term institutionalization present an exceptional challenge for those caring for persons with mental retardation. Applied Humanism emphasizes a holistic view of the person. It recognizes that encouragement, responsibility, the right of choice, and an understanding of human potential are important elements for helping mentally retarded persons develop socially appropriate behaviors. This study examined the principles of applied humanism in the management of inappropriate behaviors among mentally retarded persons in an extended care facility. The research is a follow-up study of an applied humanism model that was published in 1995. There were 10 females and 27 males, 5 with a diagnosis of moderate mental retardation and 32 with a diagnosis of severe mental retardation involved in the research. The subjects were residents in a state-operated long-term care facility. The results indicated a marked decline in the number of socially inappropriate behaviors which remained stable over an extended period of time. Implications for further research and people that provide care for the mentally retarded are discussed.

Subject(s)

Mentally ill – Long-term care.

People with mental disabilities – Institutional care.

Humanistic psychology.

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