One of the first books exclusively devoted to applying the theories, findings and approaches used in work with non-retarded children to several types of retarded individuals. The editors and contributors define the developmental approach and explore theoretical issues as they relate to retarded populations.

Preface; 1. The developmental perspective in the field of mental retardation Robert M. Hodapp, Jacob A. Burack and Edward Zigler; 2. Differentiating mental retardation: the two-group approach and beyond Jacob A. Burack; 3. One road or many? Issues in the similar sequence hypothesis Robert M. Hodapp; 4. The similar-structure hypothesis and differential rate of development in mental retardation Peter Munday and Connie Kasari; 5. Neo-environmental perspectives on developmental theory Arnold Sameroff; 6. The role of motivational factors in the functioning of mentally retarded individuals Joseph Merighi, Mark Edison and Edward Zigler; 7. Cultural-familial mental retardation: a developmental perspective on cognitive performance and 'helpless' behavior John R. Weisz; 8. The organization and coherence of developmental processes in infants and children with Down syndrome Dante Cicchetti and Jody Ganiban; 9. Developmental issues in fragile X syndrome Elisabeth Dykens and James Leckman; 10. Deviance and developmental approaches in the study of autism Fred R. Volkmar, Jacob A. Burack and Donald J. Cohen; 11. The issues of multiple pathways in the development of handicapped children Claire B. Kopp and Susan L. Recchia; 12. Summing up and going forward: new directions in the developmental approach to mental retardation Robert M. Hodapp, Jacob A. Burack and Edward Zigler.