Mentally retarded people may be particularly vulnerable to depression and related emotional disturbances due to limited social skills, lack of friends, and negative self-esteem. A therapy group for depressed retarded clients provided an opportunity to collect information about depression in retarded individuals and to evaluate various treatment techniques in a group format. Mildly retarded adults, two males and two females, attended the 30 weekly sessions involving open-ended discussions and behavioral techniques such as modeling, role playing, behavioral rehearsal, and selective reinforcement. To assess the effectiveness of the group, clients were given the Zung Depression Scale before and after treatment and evaluated on a behavior checklist by a close acquaintance during a 1-week period at mid-group and at the end of treatment. Therapists also made weekly observations. Major concerns expressed by the group were a desire for greater independence, fear of harm, and failure to distinguish between realistic and unrealistic hopes. The social component was an especially important aspect of therapy, and all clients showed at least some improvement. (JAC)