PRESENTING A PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACH TO MENTAL RETARDATION, THIS TEXT BEGINS WITH A DISCUSSION OF THEORIES OF INTELLIGENCE, PROBLEMS OF DEFINITION, AND THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE FIELD OF MENTAL RETARDATION. A SECTION ON ETIOLOGY AND SYNDROMES PRESENTS INFORMATION ON GENETIC FACTORS AND GENETIC SYNDROMES AND THE PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENTS AS FACTORS IN MENTAL RETARDATION. CULTURAL-FAMILIAL FACTORS, EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE, AND BRAIN INJURY ARE DISCUSSED AS THREE UNDERLYING CONSTELLATIONS OF CAUSES OF MENTAL RETARDATION. THEORETICAL APPROACHES TO MENTAL RETARDATION--PSYCHOANALYTIC THEORIES, GESTALT PSYCHOLOGY, THE PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORY OF D. O. HEBB, LEARNING THEORIES, AND JEAN PIAGET'S THEORY OF INTELLIGENCE ARE PRESENTED. THE DISCUSSION OF PSYCHODIAGNOSIS INCLUDES THEORY AND PRACTICE, MENTAL AGE AND INTELLIGENCE QUOTIENT, AND STANDARDIZED PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS. SPECIAL EDUCATION, PSYCHOTHERAPY, PROBLEMS OF THE FAMILY OF A RETARDED CHILD, PLACEMENT DECISIONS, AND THE SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT OF RETARDED ADULTS ARE INCLUDED. REFERENCE LIST CITES 1690 ITEMS. THIS DOCUMENT IS PUBLISHED BY MCGRAW-HILL BOOK COMPANY, NEW YORK, NEW YORK, $10.50. (MY)