Discrepancies in parent and teacher ratings of adaptive behavior of children with multiple disabilities

Parent and teacher ratings of adaptive skills of 59 children with multiple disabilities (mean age 6 years) in a rehabilitation day treatment setting were compared. The Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales Classroom and Survey Editions were administered to each child's teacher and mother or other primary caretaker, respectively. Correlational analyses indicated a robust relation between Vineland forms; however, mean score comparisons indicated that teachers systematically rated the children as more skilled in both the global and the specific domains of adaptive behavior than did caretakers. Sources of interrater disagreement and implications for assessment of children with multiple disabilities were discussed.