This study surveyed psychiatric problems treated with psychotropic medication among mentally handicapped at five regional centres in Eastern Ontario. Of the 2,158 residents studied, 920 (43%) were identified as problem cases, ranging from 36% to 83% in different institutions. Aggressivity, hyperactivity, and self-injury are the most prevalent conditions among more than thirty problem categories. Analysis of multidimensional contingency tables revealed that each of these three problems is involved with a distinct pattern of interactions with the set of demographic and clinical variables. The diversity of these interaction patterns points out the inadequacy of any unitary hypothesis of the pathogenesis and the inadvisability of adopting over-generalized treatment modalities. It is proposed that rational planning of service should rely on a realistic estimation of individuals’ needs and a better understanding of the scope and nature of the problem.
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