Effect of Choice Making on a Self-Care Activity in Mentally Retarded Adult and Adolescent Males

Abstract

Of central importance to occupational therapy is the issue of motivation in activity. The purpose of this study was to look at the effects of choice on motivation during an activity undertaken by mentally retarded adult and adolescent males Each subject was given a choice of five wrinkled T-shirts that had sports logos on them. The subject chose one and was asked to iron the T-shirt before he took it to keep. Counterbalancing for order of presentation, we designed the study so that each subject also experienced not having a choice between five T-shirts and then having to iron the one given to him. The amount of ironing was measured by calculating the amount of water evaporation A one-tailed t test indicated that with this population, choice in an activity was a significant motivator for increased participation in a subsequent activity (p < .05). Results are discussed in terms of the need for research to build a theoretical base upon which practice directed to developing a sense of efficacy in mentally retarded and other populations can be founded.