Characteristics of adaptive behavior in children with intellectual and developmental disabilities
ZHANG Xiaoyan
CAO Jing
QIU Zhuoying
YAN Zixue
CHEN Yanke
Abstract：Objective To examine overall adaptive behavior,structural profiles and teacher-parent rating differences in children with intellectual disability(ID)and autism spectrum disorder(ASD),and to explore the association between adaptive behavior and intellectual level.
Methods From March to June,2024,65 children with intellectual and developmental disabilities from Handan Special Education Center School,Xingtai Special Education School and Zhengding County Special Education School were selected and 57 valid cases were retained,who were divided into ID group(n=37)and ASD group(n=20).Adaptive behavior was assessed using the Chinese version of Adaptive Behavior Assessment System-II(ABAS-II)by parents and teachers familiar with the children.Group differences were compared,teacher-parent rating consistency was evaluated,and the relationship between adaptive behavior and intelligence quotient(IQ)was examined.
Results Mean General Adaptive Composite(GAC)scores were significantly below normative values,as well as all three domains and specific skill subsets underperforming.ASD group exhibited higher self-management scores but lower community application scores than in ID group.Teacher-parent ratings showed moderate-to-high correla-tion across dimensions,which was mainly stronger in ASD group than ID group.IQ demonstrated significant pos-itive correlations with GAC and all three domain scores(rs=0.82 to 0.91,P<0.001).
Conclusion Children with intellectual and developmental disabilities show markedly lower levels of adaptive behavior than their typically developing peers.Parents generally rate adaptive behaviors higher than teachers.Both ID and ASD groups exhibited a developmental pattern that practical skills are strongest,followed by social skills,while conceptual skills are weakest.Specific skills such as self-care,health/safety and school/home living were relative-ly stronger,while learning function,social interaction and community application lagging.ASD children under-perform in community application compared to ID peers but outperform in self-management.Adaptive behavior is closely tied to intellectual functioning.ABAS-II results may serve as a reference for assessing disability severi-ty in practice.
Keywords：intellectual and developmental disabilityadaptive behaviorInternational Classification of FunctioningDisability and HealthAdaptive Behavior Assessment System-II
Publication Date：2025-05-25
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：9( 592-600 )