Adaptive behavior is defined as those interactions of an individual with the environment that are functionally effective in that environment. Using this definition it is shown that adaptive behavior instruments that are environmentally relevant can be used effectively in intervention planning. Five characteristics desirable in such instruments are listed. Selected instruments are reviewed, including the Adaptive Behavior Scale, Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Scales of Independent Behavior, and The Pyramid Scales. A systems approach to assessing adaptive behavior is described, and it is argued that the multiple functions of adaptive behavior assessment require a set of carefully interrelated assessment procedures. No single instrument is sufficient. An example of such a system is presented and it is shown how using it can lead to the production of long-range, annual, monthly, and short-term goals, as well as to the identification of immediate instructional objectives.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Armbruster, B. B., Stevens, R. G., & Rosenshine, B. (1977). Analyzing content coverage and emphasis: A study of three curricula and two tests. (Tech. Report N26). Urbana: University of Illinois, Center for the Study of Reading.
2.
Bem, D. J. (1982). Assessing situations by assessing persons. In D. Magnusson (Ed.), Toward a psychology of situations: An interactional perspective. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
3.
Bem, D. J., & Funder, D. C. (1978). Predicting more of the people more of the time: Assessing the personality of situations. Psychological Review, 85, 485–501.
4.
Bem, D. J., & Lord, C. G. (1979). Template matching: A proposal for probing the ecological validity of experimental settings in social psychology. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 37, 833–846.
5.
Brown, L., Branston, M. B., Hamre-Nietupski, S., Pumpian, I., Certo, N., & Gruenewald, L. (1979). A strategy for developing chronological age appropriate and functional curricular content for severely handicapped adolescents and young adults. The Journal of Special Education, 13, 81–90.
6.
Bruininks, R. H., Woodcock, R. W., Weatherman, R. F., & Hill, B. K. (1985). The scales of independent behavior. Allen, TX: DLM Teaching Resources.
7.
Cone, J. D. (1977). The relevance of reliability and validity for behavioral assessment. Behavior Therapy, 8, 411–426.
8.
Cone, J. D. (1978). The behavioral assessment grid (BAG): A conceptual framework and a taxonomy. Behavior Therapy, 9, 882–888.
9.
Cone, J. D. (1984). The pyramid scales. Austin, TX: PRO-ED.
10.
Cone, J. D. (Ed.). (1986). Typyramid system-Comprehensive assessment and programming for handicapped persons. Morgantown, WV: Pyramid Press.
11.
Cone, J. D., Bourland, G., & Wood-Shuman, S. (1986). Template matching: An objective approach to placing clients in appropriate residential services. The Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 11, 110–117.
12.
Cone, J. D., & Fabry, B. D. (1984). Monitoring student progress with the self-graphing Universal Data Sheet (rev. ed.). Unpublished manuscript, West Virginia University.
13.
Cone, J. D., & Foster, S. L. (1982). Direct observation in clinical psychology. In P. C. Kendall & J. N. Butcher (Eds.), Handbook of research methods in clincial psychology (pp. 311–354). New York: Wiley.
14.
Coulter, W. A., & Morrow, H. W. (Eds.). (1978). Adaptive behavior: Concepts and measurements. New York: Grune & Stratton.
15.
Deno, S. L. (1985). Curriculum-based measurement: The emerging alternative. Exceptional Children, 52, 219–232.
16.
Doll, E. A. (1935). A genetic scale of social maturity. The American Journal of Ortho-psychiatry, 5, 180–188.
17.
Doll, E. A. (1965). Vineland social maturity scale. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service.
18.
Doucette, J., & Freedman, R. (1980). Progress tests for the developmentally disabled: An evaluation. Cambridge, MA: Abt Books.
19.
Dubose, R. F., Langley, M. B., & Stagg, V. (1977). Assessing severely handicapped children. Focus on Exceptional Children, 9(7), 1–13.
20.
Falvey, M. A. (1986). Community-based curriculum: Instructional strategies for students with severe handicaps. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.
21.
Fewell, R. R., & Cone, J. D. (1983). Identification and placement of severely handicapped children. In M. E. Snell (Ed.), Systematic instruction of the moderately and severely handicapped (2nd ed., pp. 46–73). Columbus, OH: Charles E. Merrill.
22.
Glaser, R. (1963). Instructional technology and the measurement of learning outcomes. American Psychologist, 18, 519–521.
23.
Goldfried, M. R., & D'Zurilla, T. J. (1969). A behavioral-analytic model for assessing competence. In C. D. Spielberger (Ed.), Current topics in clinical and community psychology (pp. 151–196). New York: Academic Press.
24.
Grossman, H. J. (1983). Classification in mental retardation. Washington, DC: American Association on Mental Deficiency.
25.
Halpern, A. S., Lehman, J. P., Irvin, L. K., & Heiry, T. J. (1982). Contemporary assessment for mentally retarded adolescents and adults. Baltimore: University Park Press.
26.
Harrison, P. L. (1984). The application of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales in educational settings. Techniques: A Journal for Remedial Education and Counseling, 1, 101–112.
27.
Holman, J. G., & Bruininks, R. H. (1985). Assessing and training adaptive behaviors. In C. K. Lakin & R. H. Bruininks (Eds.), Strategies for achieving community integration of developmentally disabled citizens (pp. 73–104). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.
28.
Holvoet, J., Guess, D., Mulligan, M., & Brown, F. (1980). The individualized curriculum sequencing model (II): A teaching strategy for severely handicapped students. Journal of the Association for the Severely Handicapped, 5, 337–351.
29.
Jenkins, J., & Pany, D. (1978). Standardized achievement tests: How useful for special education?Exceptional Children, 44, 448–453.
30.
Livingston, S. A. (1977). Psychometric techniques for criterion-referenced testing and behavioral assessment. In J. D. Cone & R. P. Hawkins (Eds.), Behavioral assessment: New directions in clinical psychology (pp. 308–329). New York: Brunner/Mazel.
31.
Meyers, C. E., Nihira, K., & Zetlin, A. (1979). The measurement of adaptive behavior. In N. R. Ellis (Ed.), Handbook of mental deficiency, psychological theory and research. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
32.
Nihira, K., Foster, R., Shellhaas, M., & Leland, H. (1974). AAMD adaptive behavior scale. Washington, DC: American Association on Mental Deficiency.
33.
Nihira, L., & Nihira, K. (1975). Normalized behavior in community placement. Mental Retardation, 13, 9–13.
34.
Salmon-Cox, L. (1981). Teachers and standardized achievement tests: What's really happening?Phi Delta Kappan, 63(2), 87–89.
35.
Salvia, J., & Ysseldyke. J. (1985). Assessment in special and remedial education. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
36.
Simeonsson, R. J., Huntington, G. S., & Parse, S. A. (1980). Assessment of children with severe handicaps: Multiple problems—multivariate goals. Journal of the Association for the Severely Handicapped, 5(1), 55–72.
37.
Smith, P. C., & Kendall, L. M. (1963). Retranslation of expectations: An approach to the construction of unambiguous anchors for rating scales. Journal of Applied Psychology, 47, 149–155.
38.
Snell, M. E., & Smith, D. D. (1983). Developing the IEP: Selecting and assessing skills. In M. E. Snell (Ed.), Systematic instruction of the moderately and severely handicapped (2nd ed., pp. 76–112). Columbus, OH: Charles E. Merrill.
39.
Sparrow, S. S., Balla, D. A., & Cicchetti, D. V. (1984). Vineland adaptive behavior scales. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service.
40.
Tucker, J. A. (1985). Curriculum-based assessment: An introduction. Exceptional Children, 52, 199–204.
41.
Vincent, L. J., Salisbury, C., Walter, G., Brown, P., Gruenewald, L. J., & Powers, M. (1980). Program development and curriculum development in early childhood/special education: Criteria of the next environment. In W. Sailor, B. Wilcox, & L. Brown (Eds.), Methods of instruction for severely handicapped students. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.
42.
Walls, R. T., Werner, T. J., Bacon, A., & Zane, T. (1977). Behavior checklists. In J. D. Cone & R. P. Hawkins (Eds.), Behavioral assessment: New directions in clinical psychology (pp. 77–146). New York: Brunner/Mazel.
43.
White, O. R. (1980). Adaptive performance objectives: Form versus function. In W. Sailor, B. Wilcox, & L. Brown (Eds.), Methods of instruction for severely handicapped students (pp. 47–69). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.
44.
White, O. R., & Haring, N. (1980). Exceptional teaching. Columbus, OH: Charles E. Merrill.
45.
Wilcox, B. (1979). Severe/profound handicapping conditions: Instructional considerations. In M. S. Lilly (Ed.), Children with exceptional needs. New York: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston.
46.
Woodcock, R. W., & Johnson, M. B. (1977). Woodcock-Johnson psycho-educational battery. Hingham, MA: Teaching Resources Corp.
