The adaptive behavior scale (ABS) and IQ: How much unshared variance is there?

The present study investigated the nature of the correlations between IQ and the domain scores of the Adaptive Behavior Scale (ABS) for 224 residents of a school and center serving mentally retarded individuals. In general, the adaptive behaviors measured by Part I of the ABS showed relatively large associations with IQ. ABS domain scores that correlated. 7 or above with IQ included Independent Functioning, Economic Activity, Language Development, Numbers and Time, and Domestic Activity. In contrast, Part II domains, which deal primarily with conduct disorders, showed low to negligible associations with IQ. The implications of these results for the diagnosis of mental retardation and the interpretation of the ABS standardization norms are discussed.