Factors contributing to the stability of social relationships between individuals with mental retardation and other community members.

Stability of social relationships may be an important indicator of lifestyle quality. Fourteen community members identified as being in long-term, socially stable relationships with one or more individuals with mental retardation provided answers to a quantitatively oriented questionnaire and participated in a more open-ended qualitative interview. In general, results indicated that the stability of the relationships was influenced by (a) the community members having previously served as staff members to the individuals with mental retardation, (b) their willingness to overcome logistical barriers that might otherwise have impeded their friendships, (c) their perception that the relationships included reciprocal social support, and (d) other idiosyncratic variables.