MENTAL AND CHRONOLOGICAL AGE AS PREDICTORS OF AGE-APPROPRIATE LEISUREACTIVITY IN CHILDREN WITH MENTAL-RETARDATION

Effects of MA and CA on everyday leisure-time behaviors of children wi th mild and moderate mental retardation were examined by comparing 40 children with mental retardation to groups of 40 MA- and 40 CA-matched children without mental retardation on an adult-reported scale. Child 's overall score, highest: single behavior performed by the child, and highest behavior not performed because it was considered below the ch ild's level were measured. Children with retardation performed most si milarly to their MA-matches and well-below levels of CA-marches. Older children received higher scores in all groups. Late adolescents with retardation performed between MA- and CA-levels on the highest behavio r considered too immature. Although MA best predicted overall function ing on leisure-time behavior of children with retardation, CA best pre dicted both single highest behavior performed and highest behavior con sidered too immature, Implications for teaching leisure-time behaviors to individuals with mental retardation were discussed.