AAMR: Adaptive Behavior Scale-School

1. AAMR: Adaptive Behavior Scale-School Sarah Burris Christina Guillemette Audrey Stephenson

2. Authors: Nadine Lambert, Kazuo Nihira, Henry Leland Published: 1993 (most recent revision) by Pro-ed Cost: $175.00 How to Order: https://www.stoeltingco.com/stoelting/productlist13c.aspx?catid=2250&home=Psychological&CatIDPrevA=1467&CatIDPrevB=1498 General Information

3. What is adaptive behavior • the manner in which individuals cope with the natural and social demands of their environment” (1)

4. Purpose of Assessment • Determine strengths and weaknesses among adaptive domains and factors • Identify students who are significantly below their peers in important areas of adaptive behavior • Document the progress of individuals who are enrolled in intervention programs • Measure adaptive behavior in research studies • Helps to diagnose people with developmental disabilities (often used in conjunction with intelligence measures to qualify people with mental retardation or other developmental disabilities)

5. Age Range • Used to assess people from 3-21 years old. • Typically used to assess school-aged children.

6. Content: 2-part Test • PART 1 • Part one focuses on personal independence and evaluates coping skills considered important to personal independence and responsibility in daily living. • 9 Domains: 1.independent functioning 2. physical development 3. economic activity 4. language development 5. numbers and time 6. prevocational/vocational activity 7. self-direction 8. responsibility 9. Socialization

7. Content cont’d • Part 2: • It deals with social behavior. Behaviors were identified through a survey of the social expectations place upon person with mental retardation in public and special schools, in public and private residential institutions, and in the full range of local rehabilitative and recreational services in the community over a wide geographic distribution. • 7 Domains: 1. social behavior 2. conformity 3. trustworthiness 4. stereotyped and hyperactive behavior 5. self-abusive behavior 6. social engagement 7. disturbing interpersonal behavior

8. Sample Handout

9. Scoring • Domain Scores: • Certain items are based on a rating or a cumulative score. • The sum of all the scores is written in the last box at the end of the domain. • Raw scores • Percentile • Standard score • Age Equivalent

10. Administration • Timing: • The manual says about 1-2 hours. • Qualifications: • In general, it can be administered by psychologists, speech/language pathologists, residential aids, nurses, parents, out reach workers, workshop advisors, community service technicians, teachers, vocational trainers, and other professional or paraprofessional personnel

11. Administration cont’d: • Training with the scale to observe the student. • Has direct knowledge of the person or can get access to information of the person from a third party.

12. Norms • Standardized on two groups: • MR sample- 2074 students from 40 different states with MR were evaluated with scale • Non MR sample- 1254 from 44 students were evaluated with scale

13. Reliability • The authors of the test report stability reliability from two test-retest studies conducted with a longer version of the same scale. • Measure were reported of internal consistency separately for both norm samples.

14. Validity • Content Validity: • Authors discussed the methods for designing items for the first version of this scale and described how they underwent item analysis and extensive review. • Criterion Validity: • Authors correlated ABS-S:2 scores with scores obtained on two commonly used adaptive behavior scales, which resulted in moderate correlation coefficients. • Construct Validity: • Demonstrated by correlating Parts One and Two of the scale from persons without mental retardation of all ages.

15. Strengths: • The validity evidence does support the intended uses of the test to diagnose mental retardation and monitor functional skills due to high content validity from professional review and input on the items. • Large norm sample • Wide range of ages • Easy to administer/ fill out • Addresses wide range of non academic skills; addresses life skills

16. Weaknesses • Reliability data suggest adequate stability for screening decisions but are not sufficient for eligibility decisions for special education. • Because the majority of the test is so heavily based on observation, scoring could be objective. • The individual is not required to be there for testing. • Not all categories are necessarily applicable to all students being tested.

17. References