The Role of Adaptive Behavior and Parent Expectations in Predicting Post-School Outcomes for Young Adults with Intellectual Disability

Abstract

This study examined the role of parent expectations and adaptive behavior in predicting outcomes for youth with intellectual disability. The study addresses the following research aims: (1) Describe post-school outcomes and parent expectations for individuals with mild and moderate/severe intellectual disability, (2) Determine the relationship of adaptive functioning and parent expectations to post-school outcomes (i.e., postsecondary education, employment, and independent living) for individuals with intellectual disability, and (3) Compare these relationships to the ones that have been identified in previous research on autism spectrum disorder and determine whether these constructs operate similarly or differently in a sample with intellectual disability. Data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2) was used to address these aims. A sample of students with intellectual disability, but without a co-occurring autism spectrum disorder, were selected for inclusion in the study. Four latent variables were created using data from Waves 1, 2, and 5 of data collection: demographic factors, adaptive behavior, parent expectations, and post-school outcomes. Structural equation modeling was used to test structural models of the relationships between these constructs. Results indicate that post-school outcomes for youth with intellectual disability are worse than outcomes for youth with other types of disabilities overall, and that outcomes for those with moderate/severe intellectual disability are significantly worse than for those iii with mild intellectual disability. Results from structural equation modeling indicate that, for youth with intellectual disability, adaptive behavior is more important than parent expectations in predicting post-school outcomes. The relationship between these variables appears different for those with intellectual disability than for other types of disabilities, such as autism spectrum disorder. Results support the conclusion that adaptive behavior plays a critical role in post-school success for individuals with intellectual disability and that parent expectations alone are insufficient to ensure positive outcomes for youth with poor adaptive skills. Implications for clinical practice and future research are discussed. First and foremost, I would like to thank my advisor, Marc J. Tassé, for his constant guidance and support on this project and throughout my graduate career as a whole. I am also grateful to my committee members, Dr. Susan Havercamp and Dr. Andrew Persch, for their insightful comments and feedback throughout this process. I would additionally like to thank Dr. Persch for graciously allowing me access to the NLTS2 data through his restricted-use license, without which this project would have been impossible. I also extend sincere gratitude to Dr. Anne Kirby, who answered my countless questions about NLTS2 data and has been a wonderful source of support. Thank you to Dr. Robert Cudeck and Nicholas Rockwood for the constant guidance, advice, and encouragement ...

Adaptive Behavior as an Alternative Outcome to Intelligence Quotient in Studies of Children at Risk: A Study of Preschool-Aged Children in Flint, MI, USA

“…In young children, adaptive behavior measures consider a wide range of developmentally relevant constructs known to affect early childhood outcomes, such as executive functioning, behavioral inhibition, social-emotional skills, and pre-academic skills (Luckasson et al, 2002 ; Sparrow et al, 2005 ; Oakland and Harrison, 2008 ). Thus, adaptive behavior may serve as a proximal indication of how an individual functions within developmentally relevant contexts and provide additional information important for conceptualizing the profile of risk of an individual child and resilience in their specific environment (Test et al, 2009 ; Bal et al, 2015 ; Dell'Armo and Tassé, 2019 ). In addition, adaptive behavior has been shown to be amenable to treatment in children with developmental disabilities (Matson et al, 2012 ; Bal et al, 2015 ; Duncan et al, 2018 ), making it a particularly appealing endpoint for targeted interventions.…”

The Relationship Among Demographic Factors, Transition Services, and Individual Development Account (IDA) Saving Participation Among Transition-Age Youth With Disabilities

“…Future research should focus more directly on parent expectations for their child(ren) saving behaviors. Recent research suggests that adaptive behavior (i.e., conceptual, social, and practical skill) may be an instrumental factor in post-school success for young adults with intellectual disabilities who have poor adaptive skills, regardless of parents' expectations (Dell'Armo & Tassé, 2019). In future research, it would be helpful to include adaptive behavior assessments and more direct questions about the level of parent/guardian involvement in the finances of their youth with disabilities to better understand the causal relationship between disability type and amount saved.…”

Adaptive Behavior Predicting Postschool Outcomes

“…They also found that students with better social skills had improved outcomes in postsecondary education attendance and employment. In a sample of participants with intellectual disability, Dell'Armo and Tassé (2019) found that adaptive behavior variables (social skills, academic performance, and functional skills) were more predictive of postschool outcomes than parent expectations or demographic factors such as race, household income, and parent education level. In a sample with ASD, adaptive behaviorparticularly the Daily Living Skills subscale of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scaleswas most closely correlated with positive adult outcomes (Farley et al 2009).…”