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Relationships Between Adaptive Behavior and Impairment

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Assessing Impairment

Abstract

Adaptive behavior generally refers to one's ability to meet daily living responsibilities and to respond to the needs of others. The American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) defines adaptive behavior as “the collection of conceptual, social, and practical skills that have been learned by people in order to function in their everyday lives” (American Association on Mental Retardation [AAMR], 2002, p. 73). The AAIDD's 1992 definition cited the following 10 adaptive skills that constitute adaptive behavior: communication, community use, functional academics, home and school living, health and safety, leisure, self-care, self-direction, social, and work (Table 4.1). These 10 skills have been incorporated into either the conceptual, social, or practical domains. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) emphasizes the importance of these 10 skills in its diagnostic criteria for mental retardation (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2000).

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  1. School Psychology Program, University of Flordia, Gainesville, Florida, FL 32611, USA

    Jeffrey Ditterline & Thomas Oakland Ph.D.

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  1. Jeffrey Ditterline
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  2. Thomas Oakland Ph.D.
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    Ditterline, J., Oakland, T. (2009). Relationships Between Adaptive Behavior and Impairment. In: Naglieri, J., Goldstein , S. (eds) Assessing Impairment. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-387-87542-2_4

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