FAMILY INVOLVEMENT IN RESIDENTIAL-TREATMENT OF CHILDREN WITH RETARDATION - IS THERE EVIDENCE OF DETACHMENT

Family involvement could be critical for successful residential treatm ent. Historically, however, out of home placement for children with me ntal retardation meant a severing of meaningful ties with their famili es. Today, farnilies have greater involvement with pre-placement servi ces and might be more involved in residential treatment as well. Famil ies (N = 55) were interviewed twice, approximately one and two years a fter placement, to assess their involvement with the child and their r eactions to placement. Contrary to previous findings, family involveme nt was high and stable; there was no evidence of behavioral detachment . Moreover, respondents primarily reported post-placement benefits to the family. Family emotional reactions were considered within a framew ork of ''psychological tasks of placement''.