Dimensions of adaptive behavior in institutionalized mentally retarded children and adults: developmental perspective.

Factor analyses were performed utilizing the subscale scores of the AAMD Adaptive Behavior Scale, Part One, for 3,354 institutionalized mentally retarded children and adults. Eight different age groups were studied to determine (a) the underlying dimensions of adaptive behavior measured by the scale, (b) similarity of factor structure across ages, (c) whether there were developmental changes revealed by factor scores, and (d) the extent to which the above findings would be related to level of retardation. Three salient factorial dimensions--Personal Self-Sufficiency, Community Self-Sufficiency, and Personal-Social Responsibility--appeared across a wide span of age ranges from childhood through senility. The implication of these factors was discussed in terms of the critical period of development, rate of growth, and maximum level of growth of subjects grouped by level of retardation.