PERCEPTIONS OF GOD AMONG PERSONS WITH MENTAL-RETARDATION - A RESEARCHNOTE

Perceptions of God were measured among persons with mental retardation . The levels of retardation of these individuals ranged from mild to p rofound. Measurement of God concept involved asking participants to se lect pictures that reminded them of God. The pictures had been pretest ed with Catholic and Protestant individuals who ranged in cognitive de velopment from preoperational to formal operational thinking. Analyses suggested that moderately retarded persons selected more pictures tha n mildly or severely/profoundly retarded persons. Also, as the level o f retardation went from mild to profound, the discrepancy in popularit y between preoperational and formal operational pictures increased. Th e implications of these and other findings are discussed.