Personality stereotype of noninstitutionalized Down syndrome children.

A modified version of the Sonoma Check List was used to rate 98 noninstitutionalized mentally retarded children. Half of them had Down syndrome. The other half comprised a control group. A high proportion of non-Caucasian children were included in the sample. The classic personality stereotype of the Down syndrome child as affectionate and outgoing emerged. Twenty-three adjectives chosen from the list differentiated the two groups. The personality stereotype was unaffected by the race or sex of the child. The results provided further evidence supporting the hypothesis that there is some objective basis to the stereotype.