Daily Living Skill Profiles in Adolescents With Autism and Developmental Disabilities.

Area of Science:

• Neurodevelopmental disorders
• Pediatric health
• Behavioral science

Background:

• Daily living skills (DLS) are crucial for independence in adolescents.
• Understanding predictors of DLS acquisition in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is vital for targeted interventions.
• Previous research has not fully elucidated early childhood predictors of independent DLS in autistic adolescents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare DLS performance between adolescents with autism, other developmental disabilities (DD), and the general population (POP).
• To identify early childhood predictors of independently acquired DLS by adolescence in autistic individuals.
• To inform early intervention strategies for promoting independence in daily living.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal study of adolescents aged 12-16 years, with data collected from early childhood (ages 2-5 years).
• Caregiver surveys from the Study to Explore Early Development (SEED) across 4 US sites.
• Analysis using recursive partitioning to identify predictors of independent DLS, measured by the Waisman Activities of Daily Living scale.

Main Results:

• Adolescents with autism demonstrated significantly lower independent DLS compared to DD and POP groups.
• Early expressive language, fine motor skills, and attention problems were key predictors of DLS acquisition in autism and other DD.
• Stronger early expressive language, absence of intellectual disability (ID), and fewer attention problems predicted greater DLS acquisition.

Conclusions:

• DLS acquisition varies significantly among adolescents with autism, influenced by early childhood skills.
• Early identification of expressive language, fine motor, and attention skills can help predict DLS outcomes.
• These findings support the development of early, targeted interventions to improve DLS and foster independence in autistic adolescents.