THE SHORT-TERM EFFECTS OF RELOCATION ON THE INTELLECTUALLY DISABLED

This social work study reports on the immediate effects of relocation on a small group of intellectually disabled clients. Results revealed an increase in the short term on clients' overall level of activity and their skills in relation to recreation and leisure. Most importantly, clients reported being happier in the community. On the other hand, there was no evidence of improvement on a standardized measure of quality of life, although this finding must be treated with caution given the small sample size and large amount of within-group variance. Another area of concern was the short-term decline in appropriate social behaviors. This finding underscores the importance of transitional social skills training and rehearsal as clients move from institutions to the community.