Abstract
The adaptive behaviors of 20 autistic, 20 Down syndrome, and 20 developmentally normal children were compared using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale. Unlike previous studies, we included a comparison group of very young normally developing children and matched subjects on overall adaptive behavior as well as several pertinent demographic characteristics. Findings revealed that, relative to children with Down syndrome or normal development, autistic children displayed significant and pervasive deficits in the acquisition of adaptive social skills, and greater variability in adaptive skills. These findings underscore the need to longitudinally assess the development of socialization in autistic children and further highlight the utility of the Vineland in operationally defining the nature of social dysfunction in autistic children.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
American Psychiatric Association (1980).Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (3rd ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
Cicchetti, D. V., & Sparrow, S. S. (1981). Developing criteria for establishing interrater reliability of specific items in a given inventory.American Journal of Mental Deficiencies, 86, 127–137.
Cohen, D. J., Paul, R., & Volkmar, F. R. (1986). Issues in the classification of pervasive and other developmental disorders: Toward DSM IV.Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 25, 213–220.
Deckner, C. W., Soraci, S. A., Deckner, P. O., & Blanton, R. L. (1981). Consistency among commonly used procedures for assessment of abnormal children.Journal of Clinical Psychology, 37, 856–862.
DeMyer, M. K., Hingtgen, J. N., & Jackson, R. K. (1981). Infantile autism reviewed: A decade of research.Schizophrenia Bulletin, 7, 388–451.
Fein, D., Pennington, B., Markowitz, P., Braverman, M., & Waterhouse, L. (1986). Toward a neuropsychological model of infantile autism: Are the social deficits primary?Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 25, 198–212.
Freeman, B. J., Ritvo, E. R., Yokota, A., Childs, J., & Pollard, J. (1988). Wisc-R and Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale scores in autistic children.Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 27, 428–429.
Frith, U. (1989). A new look at language and communication in autism.British Journal of Disorders of Communication, 24, 123–150.
Hobson, R. P. (1986a). The autistic child's appraisal of expressions of emotion.Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 27, 321–347.
Hobson, R. P. (1986b). The autistic child's appraisal of expressions of emotions: A further study.Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 27, 671–680.
Hollingshead, A. B. (1975).Four factor index of social status. Unpublished manuscript, Yale University, New Haven, CT.
Howling, P. (1989). Changing approaches to communication training with autistic children.British Journal of Disorders of Communication, 24, 151–168.
Jacobson, J. W., & Ackerman, L. J. (1990). Differences in adaptive functioning among people with autism or mental retardation.Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 20, 205–219.
Kanner, L. (1943). Autistic disturbances of affective contact.Nervous Child, 2, 227–250.
Loveland, K. A., & Kelley, M. L. (1988). Development of adaptive behavior in adolescents and young adults with autism and Down syndrome.American Journal on Mental Retardation, 93, 84–92.
Morgan, S. B. (1984). Early childhood autism: Cognitive-developmental perspectives. In J. B. Gholson, & T. L. Rosenthal (Eds.),Applications of cognitive-developmental theory. New York: Academic Press.
Morgan, S. B. (1986). Autism and Piaget's theory: Are the two compatible?Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 16, 441–457.
Morgan, S. B. (1988). Diagnostic assessment of autism: A review of objective scales.Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 6, 139–151.
Ornitz, E. M., Gutherie, D., & Farley, A. H. (1977). Early development of autistic children.Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia, 7, 207–229.
Parks, S. L. (1983). The assessment of autistic children: A selective review of available instruments.Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 13, 255–267.
Rodrigue, J. R., Morgan, S. B., & Geffken, G. (1990). Families of autistic children: Psychosocial functioning of mothers.Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 19, 371–379.
Rutter, M. (1983). Cognitive defects in the pathogenesis of autism.Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 24, 513–531.
Rutter, M., & Garmezy, N. (1983). Developmental psychopathology. In E. M. Hetherington (Ed.),Handbook of child psychology (Vol. 4, pp. 775–911). New York: Wiley.
Rutter, M., & Schopler, E. (1987). Autism and pervasive developmental disorders: Concepts and diagnostic issues.Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 17, 159–186.
Siegel, S. (1956).Nonparametric statistics for the behavioral sciences. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Sigman, M., & Ungerer, J. A. (1984). Cognitive and language skills in autistic, mentally retarded, and normal children.Developmental Psychology, 20, 293–302.
Sparrow, S., Balla, D., & Cicchetti, D. (1984).Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (Survey Form). Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service.
Ungerer, J., & Sigman, M. (1981). Symbolic play and language comprehension in autistic children.Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 20, 318–377.
Volkmar, F. R., Sparrow, S. S., Goudreau, D., Cicchetti, D. V., Paul, R., & Cohen, D. J. (1987). Social deficits in autism: An operational approach using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales.Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 26, 156–161.
Wenar, G., Ruttenberg, B. A., Kalish-Weis, B., & Wolf, E. G. (1986). The development of normal and autistic children: A comparative study.Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 16, 317–333.
Wing, L., & Gould, J. (1979). Severe impairments of social interaction and associated abnormalities in children: Epidemiology and classification.Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 9, 11–30.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
We greatly appreciate the help of numerous research assistants and we extend special gratitude to Tina Brown, Michael Simpson, Diana Walker, and Michael McCullough for their assistance. Special thanks also are extended to Robert Cohen, Scott Henggeler, and Andrew Meyers, the Autism Society of America, Down's Parents of Memphis Organization, the University of Tennessee Child Development Center, Parent-to-Parent, Inc., and Alachua County Schools. We express our deepest appreciation to the courageous and resilient families that participated in this project.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rodrigue, J.R., Morgan, S.B. & Geffken, G.R. A comparative evaluation of adaptive behavior in children and adolescents with autism, Down syndrome, and normal development. J Autism Dev Disord 21, 187–196 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02284759
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02284759