Validating the Street Survival Skills Questionnaire

The utility of the Street Survival Skills Questionnaire was investigated using a sample of 18 trainable mentally retarded males attending public schools. Pearson product-moment correlations were computed among the total scores, four standard scores on the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale-Survey Form, and three Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised IQs. The Street Skills scores correlated significantly with Vineland Daily Living scores and WISC-R Full Scale and Performance IQs; however, nonsignificant relationships were obtained with WISC-R Verbal IQs, Vineland Composite scores, Communication Domain scores, and Socialization Domain scores. The use of the questionnaire in assessment of adaptive behavior was supported but within a narrow scope, i.e., daily or functional living knowledge.