Personal competence of institutionalized adult males with or without Down syndrome.

The Personal Competence Profile was administered to 30 male adults with Down syndrome and 30 male adults without Down syndrome matched on age, IQ, and years of institutionalization. Down syndrome subjects rated higher on attention, calmness, and niceness but lower on sensation, language, and boldness. The results were consistent with the classical personality stereotype of Down syndrome and suggest the utility of using personal competence as a framework for studying behavioral aspects of mental retardation.