To compare the effects of hypothesis testing strategy training and paired associate training on the verbal abstraction performance of mentally handicapped adolescents, 50 male educable mentally handicapped in residence at a state school were tested. Subjects receiving strategy-oriented training learned to test out associates against nouns that were part of an abstraction set to determine appropriate abstractions. Subjects receiving paired associate training memorized nouns along with associates that would serve as abstractions when nouns appeared as part of abstraction sets. Results showed that strategy-oriented training facilitated performance on transfer items and training items, while paired associate training improved training items only. The results of the strategy training program are discussed in light of other evidence supporting the efficacy of training retardates in mental processes which are appropriate for specific conceptual tasks. (CD)