Surveying unstructured time of adults with mental retardation living in two community settings: A search for normalization

Abstract

We designed a survey to assess whether 40 randomly selected individuals, equally divided across two settings (ICF/MR, minigroup home), differed in the amounts of time spent in the community, the people with whom unstructured activities were performed, and the choice maker of unstructured activities performed in the community or in homes. Time spent in unstructured activities was divided into four subsets: performed by self, with a peer, with staff, and with family. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated that individuals living in ICF/MR homes spent more time in the community with staff and made fewer choices of their unstructured activities than those living in minigroup homes. The analyses also indicated that for those retaining their own legal guardianship and living in ICF/MR homes continued to spend less time in activities they chose themselves. Of those variables reaching statistical significance, we questioned meaningful interpretations based on alternative interpretations of the raw data.