Adaptive skills are skills that are required to be able to function independently in society (Tassé et al., 2012). Such skills have become increasingly important in the classification of an intellectual disability. In the past, often only cognitive functioning in terms of IQ scores was used for determining an intellectual disability. Since the introduction of the DSM-5 (American Psychiatric Association, 2013), however, adaptive skills play a leading role in the classification of an intellectual disability. This shift is due to the worldwide growing awareness that it is not primarily intellectual functioning but particularly adaptive functioning that determines whether someone can meet society's demands.In practice however, many people with limitations in adaptive functioning are not recognized as such and do not receive support from organizations that specifically care for people with

Background: The adaptive ability performance test (ADAPT) was developed to assess adaptive skills in individuals with intellectual disabilities and borderline intellectual functioning, with or without mental disorders. As a follow-up to earlier research on the ADAPT, a factor analytic study was conducted.Method: One thousand and sixty six ADAPTs from clients with (suspected) intellectual disabilities or borderline intellectual functioning and 129 ADAPTs from participants from the general population were collected along with other characteristics (e.g., IQ, psychiatric classifications, living situation).Results: An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed and resulted in good fit indices. Subsequent confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and multigroup CFA showed acceptable to good fit indices. This resulted in an instrument with eight factors and 62 items. Conclusion:Factor analytic results suggest that the ADAPT is a valid instrument that measures adaptive skills in individuals with intellectual disabilities or borderline intellectual functioning.

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Introduction: In this study, we explored if low vision or blindness affects adaptive functioning in individuals with and without intellectual disabilities, using the adaptive ability performance test (ADAPT). Method: Two hundred and nine ADAPTs were collected from individuals with low vision and blindness who were in care or lived independently. ADAPT scores were compared with 2642 ADAPT scores from sighted individuals. Separate comparisons were made for intellectually disabled and nonintellectually disabled groups. Results: ADAPT scores of low vision and blind individuals in both intellectually disabled and nonintellectually disabled groups were significantly lower than those of sighted individuals. ADAPT scores did not differ significantly between low vision and blind individuals. Reference values were established for individuals with visual impairments with and without intellectual disabilities. Discussion: Despite some limitations of this study, we conclude that adaptive skills are lower in individuals with visual impairments than in sighted individuals. Cross-cultural studies are required. Information for Practitioners: The results of this study provide insight into adaptive skills in individuals with visual impairments. Reference data on the ADAPT can be used for the classification of (the severity of) intellectual disabilities and assessment of the need for support or training of adaptive skills, which makes the ADAPT a useful instrument for professionals who work with individuals with visual impairments with and without intellectual disabilities.