Teaching the Mentally Retarded Parenting Skills: International Perspectives.

Overview & Synopsis

This paper reviews the literature and offers an international perspective on current programs and issues in training individuals with mental retardation to parent, nurture, and care for their children. The first section reviews the limited research on the development of children of mothers with mental retardation, some existing parent training programs, and outcomes in parenting education for these parents. The second section specifically addresses parenting and sexuality education for parents with mental retardation. Some guidelines for parents are offered. A section on international perspectives describes a Canadian parenting education program for this population. Parenting education efforts in Australia, Pakistan, Finland, and Korea are briefly reviewed. The procedure used in Hong Kong to assess an individual's ability to understand and consent to the responsibilities of marriage is explained. The paper urges more systematic and standardized research in this area. (Contains 38 references.) (DB)