RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ADAPTIVE FUNCTIONING AND AUTISM SYMPTOMS SEVERITY Cecilia Montiel-Nava, Ph.D Developmental Disorders Clinic, La Universidad del Zulia Maracaibo-Venezuela

ADAPTIVE FUNCTIONING AND AUTISM SYMPTOMS SEVERITY Communication and socialization are adaptive skills which are central for the study of individuals with ASD Impairment in these two domains are the defining features of the disorder Greater impairment in their adaptive behavior, even when matched for age and IQ . Literature regarding the relationship between adaptive skills and autism symptoms is non-conclusive

ADAPTIVE FUNCTIONING AND AUTISM SYMPTOMS SEVERITY Liss et al (2001): at lower functioning levels, ASD symptomatology is not correlated with adaptive functioning. Szatmari et al (2007) : phenotypic variation seen in ASD was composed of at least two different dimensions: 1) autistic symptoms and 2) functioning level. Klin et al (2007): adaptive skills and symptomatology might have to be conceived as independent domains of intervention. Perry et al (2009) autism severity accounts for a modest amount of unique variance in socialization and daily living skills, but not for communication skills. Chen-Lin et al (2012) autistic severity had a weak negative relationship with adaptive function. Summary: adaptive behavior in individuals with ASD is marked by deficits in communication and social interaction ; that such impairment exists beyond what might be expected from cognitive delays

SAMPLE 52 Children between 3 and 6 years of age Language level: single words Parent (s) or legal guardian (s) resided in Maracaibo County at the time of assessment Exhibited behaviors related to impairment in social communication, interaction and/or restricted behaviors Definition of autism which combined clinical consensus with instrument criteria for past and current presentation

ASSESSMENT PROTOCOL ADOS-G ADI-R VINELAND VBAS ADOS were videotaped SCREENING SCQ ADOS-G ADI-R ADOS were videotaped Independently rated Research team reviewed the clinical material on every case Criteria on ADI R for autism, and Autism criteria on ADOS

SAMPLE AGE 4,96 (1,26) GENDER MOTHER'S LEVEL OF EDUCATION SEIZURES   MALE (%) 42 (81) FEMALE (%) 10 (19) MOTHER'S LEVEL OF EDUCATION ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (%) 8 (15) HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA (%) 18 (35) BACHELOR DEGREE (%) 21(40) GRADUATE DEGREE %) 5 (10) SEIZURES MEDICATION FOR BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS

TABLE I: VABS AND ADOS SCORES   X SD VABS DAILY LIVING SKILLS 72,28 10,84 COMMUNICATION 70,52 11,75 SOCIALIZATION 73,76 14,24 ADOS 6,97 1,7 RECIPROCAL SOCIAL INTERACTION 10,52 2,49 COMMUNICATION AND RECIPROCAL SOCIAL INTERACTION 17,52 3,55 PLAY 3,1 1,93 STEREOTYPED BEHAVIORS AND RESTRICTED INTERESTS 3,38 1,21

RESULTS

RESULTS

DISCUSSION Scores were not as low as the ones reported in prior studies. AGE RANGE SELECTED??? We did not find the typical ASD pattern being the three domains equally distributed . AGE OF THE SAMPLE? All the reported correlations were negative, meaning that to lower adaptive functioning more autism symptoms.

DISCUSSION Contrary to what was anticipated, ASD symptoms did not show stronger correlation with socialization and communication, than with daily living skills. Not all autistic symptoms are of equal severity; therefore, combining items assuming that a greater number of behaviors are equivalent to increasing severity might not be accurate. Factors mediating the acquisition of adaptive skills may be different from those mediating the expression of ASD symptomatology. (Szatmari et al.2007, Klin et al.,2007)

DISCUSSION Play and stereotyped behaviors might be an important element in the diagnostic process for pre-school children since it predicted communication and socialization adaptive behaviors. VABS is a semi-structured interview for the parents, and at younger ages it might be harder to report the subtleties of the social relationships than to report everyday living skills.

LIMITATIONS… Cross sectional design of the research : Age Lack of IQ measures, which prevent us to establish relationships between adaptive functioning, IQ and ASD symptoms. Nevertheless, All the children were with single word-speech and preschool aged which gives the sample homogeneity at the time of analysis. It uses ADOS as measure of ASD symptoms. First scientific report of the use of ADOS in Venezuelan children. Useful contribution to the literature in terms of suggesting that diagnostic tools developed in one part of the world could be useful in other cultures.

Dr. José A. Chacín Isabel Montiel-Barbero, M.S. Dr. Joaquín Peña Zoila González, M.S Dr. Ernesto Solís Children and their families FUPANAZ HOSPITAL DE ESPECIALIDADES PEDIATRICAS. Instituto de Investigaciones Genéticas

ceciliamontiel@gmail.com