A Normative Study of the Psychopathology Instrument for Mentally Retarded Adults (PIMRA).

Indices were established for the Psychopathology Instrument for Mentally Retarded Adults (PIMRA) to signify that a particular score warranted further assessment. The subjects were 431 individuals with mild and moderate mental retardation in state schools and developmental centers in Texas and Louisiana. Almost 65% of the sample met the cutoff for further assessment using the newly established criteria, while approximately 40% of the sample had elevations on two or more of the subscales. Critical items were identified for the Schizophrenia, Affective Disorders, Somatoform Disorders, and Adjustment Disorders subscales. No significant differences were noted for gender with respect to the subscales. Age differences were noted for the Anxiety Disorders, Inappropriate Adjustment, and Sexual Disorders subscales. Individuals with mild mental retardation were noted to have significantly higher levels of endorsement on the Anxiety Disorders subscale. The PIMRA was found to be an objective measure of psychopathology unrelated to the length of time the informant has known the subject