# BEHAVIORAL ARCHITECTURE AND MENTAL RETARDATION

> **NIH NIH R01** · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY · 1993 · $237,721

## Abstract

The proposed research will examine one of the least studied aspects of
residential settings for people with retardation: The consequences of
various physical environmental arrangements in which residential
services are provided.

Project 1 will investigate the relation between physical features of
community residences for persons with retardation judged "homelike" or
"institutional" and the behavior of persons with mental retardation
residing in those settings.  Residences serving persons with retardation
that are alike in client admission characteristics, staff
characteristics and program philosophies, but differ in perceived
"homelikeness" or "institutional" qualities will be studied.
Observations of adaptive and maladaptive behavior of residents will be
made. The interrelationship of architectual features and behavior of
persons in those settings will be examined.  Family members will be
asked to rate slides of rooms in residential settings for person with
retardation to determine the degree to which they believe each room
displayed would be likely to promote competent, independent behavior,
would provide privacy and would be a healthy environment in which to
live.

Project 2 will deterine whether the interpretation of behavior of
persons with retardation is conditional based on the setting within
which the behavior occurs.  Samples of behavior of persons with
retardation will be videotaped in residential settings varying in
perceived "homelikeness" or "institutional" qualities.  People will be
videotaped in natural settings displaying behavior typical of those
settings.  Three groups will be asked to rate each videotaped vignette.
Raters will evaluate the degree of competence or disturbance displayed
by people with retardation and the type of program methodology most
effective in promoting further adjustinent of the person shown in the
vignette and make a prediction about the person's living situation 2
years hence.  The three groups rating the vignettes will be (1) direct
care staff working in community residential programs, (2) family members
of persons with retardation, and (3) developmental disabilities
professionals working with persons who have retardation.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 2199419
- **Project number:** 5R01HD025150-04
- **Recipient organization:** VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** GTNBNWXJ12D5
- **Principal Investigator:** Travis Thompson
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1993
- **Award amount:** $237,721
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1991-08-01 → 1995-12-01

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/2199419

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 2199419, BEHAVIORAL ARCHITECTURE AND MENTAL RETARDATION (5R01HD025150-04). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/2199419. Licensed CC0.

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