AFFECTIVE SYMPTOMS OF INSTITUTIONALIZED ADULTS WITH MENTAL-RETARDATION

A survey of affective symptoms in two groups of institutionalized adul ts with mental retardation was conducted. The groups were comprised of subjects with prior diagnoses of affective disorders or other psychia tric disorders. Informants reported retrospectively on the presence or absence of DSM-III-R criteria for major depression and mania. Thirtee n percent of the affective disorders group did not meet these criteria for depression or mania, whereas 20% of the other psychiatric disorde rs group did. Aggression was a frequent concomitant of psychopathology in both groups. These findings support previous reports that affectiv e disorders may be underdiagnosed in this population. However, unlike prior investigations, most of the subjects (74%) in the present survey had severe to profound mental retardation.