The dimensional structure of adaptive behavior of mildly, moderately, and severely mentally retarded people was investigated using item and parcel factor analyses of the Client Development Evaluation Report with about 10,000 subjects. A stable six-factor structure of adaptive behavior was identified. (Author/DB)

An investigation of the relationship between effective intelligence, as conceptualized in the Adaptive Behavior Scale and Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale subtest scatter for 102 mentally retarded subjects, revealed that increased scatter was inversely related to some adaptive behavior domains and directly related to certain maladaptive behavior…

The structure of adaptive behavior as a function of age and handicap status was investigated with 288 mentally retarded persons and nonretarded controls. Exploratory analysis of the subscale scores from the Scales of Independent Behavior revealed a large Adaptive or Personal Independence dimension and smaller Academic, Personal Responsibility, and…

Ratings on Adaptive Behavior Scale factors obtained for 47 children and adolescents in eight trainable mentally retarded classrooms were compared with data from direct classroom observations sampled over a four-day period. Findings indicated significant relationships between Ss's adaptive behavior in a residential environment and acutal observed…

Comparison of developmental growth for 104 matched pairs from mentally retarded residents of a public institution and of community living arrangements (CLA) revealed that CLA Ss showed significant developmental progress in reduction of maladaptive behavior while institutionalized Ss showed no change over 2 years. (Author/CL)

Assessment of 497 urban preschool children with developmental disabilities using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales indicated a strong positive relationship between adaptive behavior and intelligence if measured globally. When Vineland domains were assessed separately, this relationship varied across domains and disability groups. With…

The 1992 American Association on Mental Retardation definition of mental retardation is critiqued. The definition is seen as lacking precision and necessitating identification dependent upon assessment of behavioral dimensions for which there are no reliable measurement instruments. These problems, which are attributed to advocacy concerns, are…

This article shows the usefulness of understanding visual behaviors in the diagnosis of various types of visual impairments that are due to ocular and cortical disorders. Behaviors discussed include nystagmus, ocular motor dyspraxia, head position, close viewing, field loss adaptations, mannerisms, photophobia, and abnormal color perception. (JDD)

Interactional behaviors for 15 moderately and severely handicapped elementary and preschool students were observed for approximately 1 month across a variety of settings. Behaviors were classified along a continuum of adaptive behaviors, and their proposed "degree of adaptation" was compared to commonly used definitions of adaptive behavior and…

Evaluation of the cognitive, behavioral, and adaptive functioning of 12 retarded men with fragile X syndrome indicated that fragile X men were largely indistinguishable from comparison groups. They were, however, significantly more likely to have achieved levels of adaptive functioning commensurate with their intellectual abilities. (Author/DB)

This article considers the perseverative and passive behavior patterns common in children with intellectual disabilities and often the focus of educational interventions. It suggests that, instead of always being an impediment to progress, these behaviors may sometimes be appropriate and adaptive responses of a slow mind to coping in a world that…

This study investigated demographic and phenomenological characteristics of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) in nine adults with Down syndrome (DS), and possible effects on adaptive behavior. Results suggest OCD is more common in the DS population than the non-DS population. Ordering and tidiness was the most common form of OCD found, and…

This rejoinder to critiques (EC 602 213-215) of the authors' article (EC 602 212) on stereotypy and self-injury in the disabled responds to specific objections raised, including misleading statements, failure to address other existing models, misunderstandings, and need to include neurochemical factors. (DB)

A model is presented for helping students with learning disabilities experience success in school and beyond. Components of the model include internal decisions, which include desire, goal orientation, and reframing and external manifestations or behaviors of persistence, goodness of fit, learned creativity, and favorable social ecologies.…

This paper reviews the concept of adaptive behavior, the etiology of maladaptive behavioral patterns in learning-disabled individuals, and age-related trends in life adjustment. It advocates the use of adaptive behavior measures to identify homogeneous subtypes of learning disabilities, to predict educational consequences, and to determine…