Brief Report: Examination of Correlates of Adaptive Behavior in Children with HFASD using the BASC-2 Parent Rating Scale.

The team looked at BASC-2 parent forms for school-age kids with high-functioning autism. They wanted to know what predicts low adaptive scores.

They checked age, IQ, and autism symptom totals from the ADI-R. The goal was to see which factor matters most for daily living skills.

More social-autism symptoms meant lower adaptive scores. Age and IQ had no clear link.

In short, social severity, not smarts, drives the gap in real-world skills.

Rosa et al. (2017) widen the lens. They show verbal and working-memory weaknesses also track with lower adaptive skills. Together the papers say both social symptoms and specific thinking skills matter.

Fujiura et al. (2018) add time. They chart adaptive gains that stall in adolescence. The current study gives a snapshot; the 2018 paper says keep teaching daily skills through teen years.

Lopata et al. (2016) and Greene et al. (2019) warn about rater gaps. Parents often score autism and adaptive symptoms higher than teachers. Collect both forms before you write reports.

When you see low BASC-2 adaptive scores, look back at ADI-R social totals, not the IQ number. Target social-use lessons like turn-taking, phone calls, or ordering food. Keep the goals going into middle school and always ask both parents and teachers for ratings.