A CONCEPTUAL-MODEL FOR IMPROVING THE SOCIAL-LIFE OF INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL-RETARDATION

Fostering and improving the social relationships of individual with di sabilities have become recognized as legitimate roles for service prov iders. This is, in part, a logical outgrowth of a shift from services that emphasized health, safety, and skill development to services whos e mission is seen as also including ''lifestyle support.'' In this pap er we reviewed ways in which social life has been conceptualized and m easured and suggested how such concepts might be integrated into a com prehensive model to spur research and development benefitting individu als with mental retardation.