Overview
The Adaptive Behavior Assessment System – Third Edition (ABAS-3; Harrison & Oakland, 2015) is an individually-administered, norm-referenced measure that assesses adaptive behavior and related skills for individuals from birth through 89 years of age. Information on children may be provided by parents and/or teachers; information on adults may be provided by significant others, care providers, supervisors, and/or the client himself/herself. ABAS-3 scores help describe a person’s general adaptive behavior, as well as his or her functioning in 11 related adaptive skill areas: Communication, Community Use, Functional Academics, School/Home Living, Health and Safety, Leisure, Self-Care, Self-Direction, Social, Work (for older adolescents and adults), and Motor.
The ABAS-3 groups adaptive skills into three broad domains: Conceptual, Social, and Practical. The conceptual domain includes the skill areas of Communication, Functional Academics, Self- Direction, and Health and Safety. The Social domain includes Social and Leisure skill areas. Finally, the Practical domain includes the skill areas of Self-Care, Home Living, Community Use, Health and Safety, and Work (depending on target individual’s age). The motor skills area is required for ages 0 through 5, and supplemental for ages 5 through 89.
The ABAS-3 provides a general adaptive composite score; the composite scores for the conceptual, social, and practical domains; and scaled scores for the 11 skill areas. There are five rating report forms, which can be completed by parents, family members, teachers, daycare staff, supervisors, counselors, or others familiar with the daily activities of the individual being evaluated. In addition, the adult form can be completed as a self-report, or can be rated by others. All forms are available in Spanish. The ABAS-3 can be administered in person or online, and it can be scored by hand or using the WPS Online Evaluation System.
The ABAS-3 can be used to develop treatment plans and training goals, document and monitor progress over time, determine eligibility for services such as Social Security disability benefits, and evaluate ability to live and work independently. The results of this assessment may contribute to research and program evaluation.
Summary
Age: Birth to 89 years
Time to Administer: 15-20 minutes
Method of Administration: Individually administered, norm-referenced assessment of adaptive behavior.
5 forms: parent/primary caregiver (0–5 yrs.); parent (5–21 yrs); teacher/daycare provider (2–5 yrs.); teacher (5–21 yrs.); adult (16–89 yrs.).
Yields standard scores for GAC and Domains (M = 100, SD = 15, confidence intervals for standard scores, percentile ranks, scaled scores for subtests (M = 10, SD = 3), descriptive ranges, skills profile, analysis of strengths and weaknesses.
Subscales: Overall composite: General Adaptive Composite
Domain Composites: (Subtests): Conceptual (Communication, Functional Academics, Self- Direction,);
Social (Leisure, Social); Practical (Community Use, Home Living, Health and Safety, Self-care, Work,); Motor
Autism Related Research
However, Kenworthy et al. (2010) found that its predecessor, the ABAS-II, had utility in autism evaluation, even for high-functioning children.