An Exploratory Study of Creativity in Mentally Retarded Youth

Abstract

In our efforts to shed light on the array of learning and behavioral problems commonly associated with mental retardation, we tend to dwell perhaps necessarily on the deficits and their amelioration. Only rarely does the researcher or practitioner in special education focus attention on attributes reflecting the integrities and vigor which may also characterize the mentally retarded throughout their life span. The paper which follows reports a study on one such dimension of cognitive process-creative thinking ability. While this paper is only a preliminary examination of creative potential in an institutionalized retarded population, it fulfills heuristic intent in serving to guide more elaborate investigations in this area. RA and EM, Department Editors.