ADJUSTMENT OF YOUNG-ADULTS WITH MENTAL-RETARDATION IN COMMUNITY SETTINGS - COMPARISON OF PARAMETRIC AND NONPARAMETRIC STATISTICAL TECHNIQUES

The impact of four different statistical techniques on the interpretiv e process using data obtained from young adults with mental retardatio n in applied settings was evaluated. Our hypothesis was that no differ ence exists across levels of mental retardation for four dependent var iables, jointly or separately, using (a) parametric multivariate analy sis of variance, (b) nonparametric multivariate analysis of variance, (c) multiple non-parametric analyses of variance, and (d) multinomial logistic regression. The pattern of significance remained the same acr oss the three classical and quasi-classical designs. Substantive diffe rences were found using the fourth technique, multinomial logistic reg ression. The four techniques were compared using interpretational as w ell as statistical criteria.