Psycho-social Correlates of Mental Retardation: A Study of Some Selected Cases

Abstract

The researcher closely studied 144 urban and 103 rural mentally retarded persons in Bangladesh. The age of the subjects ranges between 2 and 38 years. Out of total 247 cases 165 are male and 82 are female. The subjects are of different levels of mental retardation, clinical types and socioeconomic backgrounds. The formal and the main study was done during 2000 and 2003. But the researcher closely observed and studied all developments, problems and prospects of about 100 subjects of the 247cases from 1992 to 2003. Health, education, employment, housing and social security of the subjects were studied through questionnaire and personal observation by the researcher herself. She has observed the subjects at the Day Centres and at their houses. She had detail discussion with the parents, siblings, neighbors, concerned physicians and professionals. Though the main objective was to study the psycho-social correlates of mental retardation of some selected cases, the researcher studied not only the factors but also the prenatal, perinatal and postnatal development of the subjects. She studied the impact of special education and vocational training on employment and rehabilitation of the subjects. She also studied the problems and prospects of housing and social security of the subjects. Finally she compared the problems and prospects of the rural and urban mentally retarded subjects. It was found that the rural mentally retarded persons and their family members are in better conditions compared to their urban counterparts from the psycho-social viewpoints. The researcher does not claim that this study is depicting a total picture of the psycho social correlates of all the mentally retarded persons and their family members of entire Bangladesh. But this work indicates the major psycho-social aspects of the mentally retarded persons, which need further attention of the concerned professionals and the government in Bangladesh.The researcher concludes that some awareness development has already taken place in Bangladesh to uplift the quality of life of the mentally retarded persons. But without serious involvement of the government they are yet the subjects of trials and errors by different interest groups and organizations. The constitution of Bangladesh clearly protects the rights of the handicapped persons. But yet Bangladesh government could not announce any policy program for the mentally retarded persons. The researcher strongly recommends the government to announce a National Policy for the mentally retarded persons as soon as possible.