Professional and technical opportunities for psychologists in mental retardation.

Comments on N. A. Robinson's (1987) discussion of mental retardation (MR) services and issues as they relate to the field of psychology. It is suggested that the involvement of psychologists in MR can take many forms. Of particular importance to current students of clinical psychology is the trend toward the replacement of the medical hegemony still evident in mental health service systems with interdisciplinary models in MR service settings. It is further suggested that the field of MR offers mainstream professional psychology the opportunity to apply alternative conceptions of personal functioning to conventional models of psychopathology, while mainstream developments in social, personality, and cognitive psychology offer promise for services for people with MR. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)