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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. TABLE I: VABS AND ADOS SCORESX 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

8. RESULTS

9. RESULTS

10. 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.

11. 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)

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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