FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE STABILITY OF SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEENINDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL-RETARDATION AND OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS

Stability of social relationships may be an important indicator of lif estyle quality. Fourteen community members identified as being in long -term, socially stable relationships with one or more individuals with mental retardation provided answers to a quantitatively oriented ques tionnaire and participated in a more open-ended qualitative interview. In general, results indicated that the stability of the relationships was influenced by (a) the community members having previously served as staff members to the individuals with mental retardation, (b) their willingness to overcome logistical barriers that might otherwise have impeded their friendships, (c) their perception that the relationship s included reciprocal social support, and (d) other idiosyncratic vari ables.