Use of independence training to teach shopping skills to mildly mentally retarded adults.

Independence training, which consists of in-vivo modeling, self-evaluation, feedback, social reinforcement, and instructions, was used to train shopping behavior to mildly mentally retarded adults living in the community. Ten subjects were trained and 10 subjects served as no-treatment controls. Treatment was provided in therapy sessions at an outpatient clinic and in the grocery store. Subjects who received independence training improved significantly more than did the no-treatment control subjects during the 4 weeks of training. Clients in the treatment condition maintained gains at a 2-month follow-up. In addition, grocery shopping skills generalized to another store where training had not been provided.