Using adaptive behavior scores to convey level of functioning in children with autism spectrum disorder: Evidence from the Study to Explore Early Development.
Sarah M Furnier, Susan Ellis Weismer, Eric Rubenstein and 5 others
PMID 37609907WHAT IT FOUND
Cognitive scores alone misclassify support needs in autistic preschoolers.
Twenty-five percent labeled low-functioning had no adaptive delays, while eight percent labeled high-functioning had significant socialization delays. Assess adaptive behavior directly to identify actual service needs.
Key findings
01Twenty-five percent of children with cognitive scores indicating delay had no significant adaptive delays, while eight percent with higher cognitive scores had significant socialization delays.
02Cognitive ability explained less than half the variation in Daily Living Skills and Socialization, with autism symptom severity explaining very little additional variance.
03Behavioral and emotional problems explained more variance in adaptive scores than cognitive ability did in children without significant cognitive delays, particularly in Socialization.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The study included only preschool-aged children, so these relationships may change as children age. Mullen cognitive scores may have underestimated abilities in very young children or those with significant language delays. The study did not measure social demands or support systems, which likely influence adaptive functioning. Findings are specific to the Mullen and Vineland scales and may not generalize to other assessment tools.
Declared interests
The authors declared no competing interests. The study was supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the lack of correlation between cognitive and adaptive scores as evidence that cognitive testing is useless. Instead, recognize that cognitive scores are an incomplete proxy for functioning; a child with a high IQ may still have severe adaptive deficits requiring support, while a child with a low IQ may have relative adaptive strengths.