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ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to examine social outcomes including social interaction opportunities and self-expression, and how they relate to other quality of life indicators. These indicators include the overall assessment of adaptive skills, and the frequency and severity of challenging behaviour. The social interaction opportunities measured in this research include family contact, hours of habilitation, community outings, hours of employment and hours of education. Self-expression refers to the extent to which the individuals assessed indicated liking and choosing what they do in their everyday lives. The data utilised in this study were obtained from personal interviews from 3781 individuals with developmental disabilities and their caregivers. Interviewers received extensive training prior to conducting the assessments. The results indicate that people with higher adaptive ability had more contact with their families, received fewer hours of habilitation, were reported to participate in community outings more frequently, worked more hours and spent fewer hours in education. These significant correlations, however, were of marginal strength. Overall, the frequency and severity of challenging behaviour were not associated with the social interaction opportunities assessed in this study.
The deinstitutionalisation movement in the United States is based on the court determination that institutions are not ideal settings for fostering individual growth and development. As a result of this interpretation, people with mental retardation moved from institutions (i.e. state schools) to the community. This led to policy development and reform aimed at enhancing their quality of life in the community. One criterion for successful deinstitutionalisation can be viewed as the extent to which individuals become socially integrated into or a part of the community (Schalock, 1994). In other words, successful deinstitutionalisation is more than just moving to the community. Because social integration is dependent upon social interaction, it is important for researchers to consider what influences people's opportunities to interact with others. Without such opportunities, there is little social interaction, and consequently, little integration. By focusing on opportunities, it can be established who is advantaged and disadvantaged. This information can lead to programme and policy decisions and reforms that are better suited to help those in need and improve their quality of life. Voelker et al. (1990) previously called for the measurement of maladaptive behaviour because individuals with mental retardation...