Adjustment Problems of Mildly Handicapped and Nonhandicapped Students

This study examined the adjustment problems of 360 students identified as educable mentally retarded, behaviorally disordered, or learning disabled, or not identified as handicapped. In each of these four groups there were students of both sexes and of three age levels (elementary, middle-school, senior high). Teachers completed a Behavior Problem Checklist (Quay & Peterson, 1975) on each of the subjects, enabling the investigators to compute and examine the four dimensions (subscales) of adjustment problem associated with this rating scale. Results showed that, as expected, behaviorally disordered students generally displayed more adjustment problems than the other groups, although for certain age and sex subgroups, behaviorally disordered and learning disabled students did not differ. All handicapped groups had more problems than the nonhandicapped group on at least one dimension of adjustment problem. Findings are discussed in terms of implications for personnel preparation, additional research, and appropriate education for the handicapped.