Quality of life of mentally retarded adults transferred from large institutions to new small units

Quality of life of mentally retarded adults was assessed in large institutions and after transfer to new small units. Environmental changes in management practices and staff-resident interaction for both types of living units indicated significant improvement after transfer. Total adaptive behavior of transferred residents increased in the new units, but only the increase 9 months after transfer was significant when compared with behavior of matched control subjects. Total maladaptive behavior and antipsychotic drug prescription increased initially, with the former declining at subsequent assessments. Higher ability residents from "free" wards decreased participation in culturally normative activities and did not significantly change their adaptive behavior. Both higher and lower ability residents from "restricted" wards increased their participation in culturally normative activities and improved with regard to adaptive behavior. Significant increases and decreases in adaptive behavior over time paralleled the lack and subsequent initiation of off-unit occupations for residents with IQs over 50.