Growth mixture models of adaptive behavior in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder.

This was an observational analysis of existing school programs, not a trial of a treatment, so it cannot show that changing school independence quality would improve adaptive behavior. Data were missing for some students, including parent-reported autism symptoms and maternal education, and only 88 students were assessed at the fourth time point. Students with complete data at the fourth time point were younger and had mothers with higher education, which may limit how well the later data represent the whole group. The study followed students for only about two and a half years, not the full four years of high school. Adaptive behavior, autism symptoms, and IQ came from teacher, parent, and nonverbal test reports rather than a full diagnostic assessment. Students were assigned to statistical trajectory groups, and group membership can be uncertain even when the groups are distinct. The sample came from selected schools in North Carolina, Wisconsin, and California and excluded students with significant visual or hearing impairments, so results may not apply to all high school settings.

No author conflicts of interest are reported in the supplied text. The article is tagged as supported by NIH and U.S. government research funding.

Do not read the two-times association with independence program quality as proof that making classrooms more independent will improve adaptive behavior. The study observed existing programs and student characteristics, and total school quality did not differ between trajectory groups, so it cannot show that changing the environment caused the gains.