Essentials of Adaptive Behavior Assessment of Neurodevelopmental Disorders

A practical guide to adaptive behaviors across a range of neurodevelopmental disorders

Adaptive behavior assessment measures independent living skills, including communication, social skills, personal care, and practical work skills. For individuals with intellectual disabilities, evaluation of these skills is a critical tool for measuring eligibility and can identify specific skills that must be learned before effective educational interventions can be implemented. Essentials of Adaptive Behavior Assessment of Neurodevelopmental Disorders describes the role of adaptive behavior in assessment and treatment, and provides clear guidance for measurement. Case samples provide real-world illustration of behaviors and assessment, and systematic comparison of various measures are presented and explained to better inform planning.

Individual chapters outline specific adaptive behaviors across a range of neurodevelopmental disorders, giving clinicians, practitioners, students, and researchers a better understanding of diagnostic differentials and how to place independent skill programming in treatment and intervention.

• Plan intervention and treatment based on accessible measurement guidelines across a range of disorders
• Gain a deeper understanding of adaptive functioning specific to ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, disruptive behavior disorders, and genetic disorders
• Compare and contrast current measures to evaluate their strengths, weaknesses, and areas of overlap

• Quickly locate essential information with Rapid Reference and Caution boxes

For individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders, adaptive behaviors are the keys to independence; without them, these individuals will perpetually struggle with achieving optimum independence without the basic skills needed to function at home, in school, and in the community. Assessment allows these skills to be factored in to treatment and intervention planning, and can help improve the outcomes of other intervention methods. Essentials of Adaptive Behavior Assessment of Neurodevelopmental Disorders clarifies the assessment of these important behaviors, helping clinicians make more informed decisions around diagnosis, education, and treatment planning. 

CELINE A. SAULNIER, PHD, and CHERYL KLAIMAN, PHD, are Associate Professors in the Department of Pediatrics at the Emory University School of Medicine & Marcus Autism Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.

Series Preface xv

Acknowledgments xvii

One Introduction and History of Adaptive Behavior 1

Introduction 1

The Birth of Adaptive Behavior 1

Adaptive Behavior in the Definition of Intellectual Disability 5

Principles of Adaptive Behavior 9

Summary 13

Test Yourself 14

Two Methods of Assessing Adaptive Behavior 17

Types of Measures 19

Interviews 20

Unstructured Interviews 20

Semi-Structured and Structured Interviews 21

Direct Observation 21

Checklists and Rating Scales 21

Self-Administered 22

Other-Administered 22

Purpose of Measure 24

Psychometric Properties 25

Floor and Ceiling Effects 25

Item Density 26

Reliability 26

Validity 27

Adequacy of Normative Samples 28

Sociocultural Biases 29

Choosing a Measure 30

Summary 30

Test Yourself 31

Three Standardized Measures of Adaptive Behavior 33

Vineland Social Maturity Scale 33

AAMD/AAMR/AAIDD Adaptive Behavior Scales 35

Adaptive Behavior Scale (ABS) 36

Adaptive Behavior Scale, Public School Version (ABS-PSV) 36

Adaptive Behavior Scale, School Edition, and AAMR Adaptive Behavior Scale–School:2 (ABS-S:2) 37

Diagnostic Adaptive Behavior Scale (DABS) 38

Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales 40

Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale (Vineland ABS) 40

Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Second Edition (Vineland-II) 42

Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Third Edition (Vineland-3) 43

Adaptive Behavior Assessment System 46

Adaptive Behavior Assessment System (ABAS) 47

Adaptive Behavior Assessment System, Second Edition (ABAS-II) 47

Adaptive Behavior Assessment System, Third Edition (ABAS-3) 49

Scales of Independent Behavior–Revised (SIB-R) 50

Adaptive Behavior Evaluation Scale, Third Edition (ABES-3) 51

Developmental Assessments with Adaptive Behavior Sections 52

Battelle Developmental Inventory, Second Edition, Normative Update (BDI-2) 53

Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (Bayley-III) 53

Summary 53

Test Yourself 55

Four Adaptive Behavior Profiles in Intellectual Disability and Genetic Disorders 57

Eligibility Versus Diagnosis 58

Adaptive Behavior Profiles by Level of Cognition in ID 60

Comorbidities with ID 61

Incidence and Prevalence of ID 62

Etiologies of ID 64

Genetic Causes of ID 65

Idiopathic and Biomedical Causes of ID 75

Summary 76

Test Yourself 77

Five Adaptive Behavior Profiles in Autism Spectrum Disorder 79

Relationship Between Adaptive Behavior and Levels of Cognition 80

Relationship Between Adaptive Behavior and Age 82

Relationship Between Adaptive Behavior and Autism Symptomatology 84

Relationship Between Adaptive Behavior and Sensory Behaviors 85

Relationship Between Adaptive Behavior and Sex 86

Adaptive Behavior Profiles in Toddlers and Preschool-Age Children with ASD 87

The Impact of Race, Ethnicity, and Socioeconomic Status on Adaptive Behavior in ASD 89

Summary 91

Test Yourself 91

Six Adaptive Behavior Profiles in Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders 93

Learning Disabilities 93

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) 94

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) 96

Movement and Motor Disorders 97

Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) 97

Inborn Errors of Metabolism (IEM) 98

Cerebral Palsy 98

Tourette’s Syndrome 98

Epilepsy 99

Hearing Impairments 100

Visual Impairments 101

Speech, Language, and Communication Disorders 102

Summary 103

Test Yourself 104

Seven Adaptive Behavior Profiles in Adults with Neurodevelopmental Disorders 107

Adaptive Profiles in Adults with Intellectual Disability 108

Adaptive Profiles in Adults with Genetic Disorders 110

Down Syndrome 110

Fragile X Syndrome 111

Williams Syndrome 112

Adaptive Behavior Profiles in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder 112

Adults with Language Impairments 115

Assessment for Intellectual Disability in Prisoners 116

The Relationship Between Adaptive Behavior and Residential and Vocational Success 119

Summary 121

Test Yourself 121

Eight The Role of Adaptive Behavior in Treatment and Intervention 123

Factors to Consider in Developing an Intervention Plan 124

Identifying Adaptive Behaviors to Target in Intervention 126

Evidenced-Based Practices for Treating Adaptive Behavior 130

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) 130

Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs) 133

Social Communication Approaches 134

Commercial Products 136

Summary 137

Test Yourself 138

Nine Case Samples 141

Case Sample 1: Individual with Intellectual Disability 141

Results 142

Sample Recommendations for Treatment of Adaptive Behavior 144

Case Sample 2: Individual with Autism Spectrum Disorder 145

Results 145

Sample Recommendations for ASD Educational Programming and Adaptive Behavior 148

Case Sample 3: Individual with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder 149

Results 149

Sample Recommendations for Treatment of Adaptive Behavior 153

Summary 154

References 157

About the Authors 183

Index 185

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