Adaptive profiles in autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders.

Mouga et al. (2015) compared adaptive skills in kids with autism, kids with other developmental delays, and kids with both autism plus intellectual disability.

All groups had similar IQ scores, so any skill gaps would point to autism itself, not low IQ.

The team used the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales to measure communication, daily living, and socialization skills.

Even with IQ held steady, the autism group scored lowest in socialization.

Adding intellectual disability dragged down every adaptive area, but socialization stayed the weakest spot.

The pattern shows socialization is a signature weakness of autism, no matter the IQ level.

Ferrari et al. (1991) saw the same social gap 24 years earlier, so the finding is stable over time.

Matson et al. (2013) echoed the result in preschoolers, proving the gap shows up before grade school.

Žic Ralić et al. (2025) looked at social-emotional strengths instead of Vineland scores and still found the ASD-plus-ID group at the bottom, extending the story to parent-rated skills.

Crisci et al. (2026) muddies the water: half of ADHD kids land in the same ‘social-deficit’ cluster as ASD kids. This seems to clash, but Giulia used latent profiles, not strict diagnoses, so overlap is expected and doesn’t erase autism’s unique social dip.

When you open an assessment, look past the full-scale IQ. A child can test in the average range yet still need heavy social-skills programming if autism is on the report.

Track Vineland socialization at every re-eval; it’s the canary in the coal mine.

If intellectual disability is also present, plan for even more daily-living support, but keep social goals front and center.