An approach to the evaluation of early intervention projects with mothers of severely handicapped children: the attitude dimension.

This paper describes a research investigation currently being carried out into the changing attitudes of mothers of severely handicapped pre-school children. A summary is made of the most frequently cited emotional reactions following the birth of a handicapped child and this is followed by a detailed description of a Maternal Attitudes Battery designed to obtain quantitative measures of relevent maternal attitudes. This is presented within the framework of an evaluation model specifically chosen to investigate the effectiveness of the Honeylands Home Intervention Project.