Developmental assessment of cognitive style in mentally retarded psychotics

Evaluated 55 mentally retarded psychotic adults with the Color-Form Preference Test, a developmentally based index of cognitive style, and other measures of intellectual, social, and psychiatric functioning. Results indicated that different grades of retardation were associated with distinct cognitive styles, which showed a systematic progression that corresponded to the normal developmental sequence. In contrast, no significant relationships were observed between cognitive style and psychotic manifestations. The findings suggested that fresh insights into mental retardation and psychosis are made possible by qualitative, developmental assessment. The implications for clinical application, theory formulation, and research were discussed.