The relationship between specific characteristics of individuals with mental retardation, as rated by their teachers, and their abuse by residential caregivers was investigated. Teacher ratings of 91 abuse victims from five state training centers in Virginia for individuals with mental retardation were compared to 91 randomly selected control subjects from the same facilities. Discriminant analysis results indicated a significant relationship {p < .001) between abuse status and a linear combination of subject characteristics. In addition, the Pearson chisquare test of independence was used to test the relationship between individual characteristics and behaviors of subjects and abuse status. Results indicated a significant relationship {p < .05) between abuse status and teacher ratings of level of functioning and frequency of maladaptive behaviors. Implications for caregivers and educators are discussed.

A review of the factors contributing to parental physical abuse of children with handicaps is presented following a brief overview of the general pyitbtem of child abuse in the United States. Parental child abuse was found to be a response to an interaction of variables within the parent, child, and envimnment. These variables were found to be associated with many characteristics of families who had children with handicaps. Also, characteristics of abused children were faund to be similar to characteristics of many children with handicaps. Finally, children with handicaps were faund to be at considerable risk for abuse and, in fact, were dispmpoortionately represented in child abuse samples. Intervention methods and imp lications far educators are also discussed.

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Advocacy for people with disabilities and their fami lies has evolved from the provision of public protective services to private and independent advocacy service groups, and finally to self-advocacy. This article de scribes one empowerment and self-advocacy training program for parents of young children and individuals with disabilities. An overview of the Partners in Policy making program and the participants is provided along with Year 1 outcomes. The benefits of self-advocacy and the need for additional training programs are stressed.

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