Evaluation of an adaptive behaviour classification for mentally retarded adults

Adaptive behaviour was assessed in a total of 119 mentally retarded adults by means of the Disability Assessment Schedule (DAS). According to a newly developed classification scheme, the level of handicap was graded on a four-step scale according to the subject's score in adaptive behaviour on the DAS; this was highly correlated both to the Coloured Progressive Matrices (CPM)-IQ (r = 0.75) and the Columbia Mental Maturity (CMM) Scale (r = 0.77). The DAS classification was associated with relevant neuropsychiatric variables. The findings indicate that the DAS classification represents a practicable way for assessing the degree of handicap in mentally retarded adults and could be especially valuable in cases where intelligence testing proves impossible, as was the case for 45% (CPM) and 39% (CMM) of the present sample.