The Floor Effect on the ABAS-II in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) presents challenges in adaptive behavior assessment.
• Traditional methods often suffer from floor effects, limiting accurate measurement in adolescents.
• The Adaptive Behavior Assessment System-Second Edition (ABAS-II) is a key tool for evaluating adaptive functioning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance the assessment of adaptive behavior in adolescents with ASD.
• To address and overcome the limitations of floor effects in traditional assessment methods.
• To compare the efficacy of the Hessl statistical method and its revision by Orsini, Pezzuti, and Hulbert.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Adaptive Behavior Assessment System-Second Edition (ABAS-II).
• Employed the statistical Hessl method and its revision by Orsini, Pezzuti, and Hulbert to mitigate floor effects.
• Analyzed adaptive behavior across Conceptual, Social, and Practical domains.

Main Results:

• The Hessl method demonstrated greater variability compared to its revision.
• Significant impairments were noted in Social versus Leisure skills and Functional Academics (Conceptual domain).
• Self-Care skills (Practical domain) showed greater impairment, while Home Living skills emerged as a relative strength.

Conclusions:

• The adopted statistical methods provide a more nuanced assessment of adaptive behavior in adolescents with ASD.
• Identifying specific areas of deficit and strength can inform targeted interventions.
• Findings contribute to a better understanding of adaptive functioning profiles in ASD populations.