An ecology of prevention for the future

The field of mental retardation is being changed by a paradigm shift in how mental retardation is conceptualized and in how services are provided. This new way of thinking is reflected in the 1992 AAMR definition of what mental retardation is (Luckasson et al., 1992). Prevention efforts must also reflect this new way of thinking, which focuses on the interaction between individuals and their environment. In this paper, the stage was set for adoption of a new vision of prevention that incorporates an ecological approach to understanding the causation of mental retardation. The articles in this symposium were reviewed and their relevance to this new vision discussed. A comprehensive, coordinated, and integrated prevention program is needed that includes new strategies addressing a variety of personal, social, and environmental risk factors and on the interactions among them.