Assessing placement tendency in families with children who have severe handicaps.

Data are reported from a brief measure to assess placement tendency of parents who have young children with severe handicaps. Parents of 84 severely retarded children were interviewed in their own homes, three times, 18 to 24 months apart. Their thoughts and actions regarding out-of-home placement for their child were assessed each time on a six-point Placement Tendency Index. Results indicate trends in placement tendency that are linear; from the point that parents begin to entertain the idea of placement it may still be one or two years until the act of placement is completed. These findings suggest that the act of placement is an ongoing process rather than a single discrete behavior. The implications of assessing placement tendency for service providers and other professionals who may assist families in decision-making are discussed.