Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale scores as a function of age and initial IQ in 210 autistic children.
Vineland scores rise with age in autism, but IQ-linked gains vary by domain—target social skills explicitly regardless of cognitive level.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team tracked Vineland scores for 210 autistic children. They looked at how scores changed as kids got older. They also checked if a child’s starting IQ predicted later gains.
What they found
Vineland scores rose with age in all areas. Kids with higher IQs made faster gains in Communication and Daily Living Skills. Social Skills improved with age no matter the IQ.
How this fits with other research
Irvin et al. (1998) built autism-only Vineland norms one year earlier. Their norms showed the same Socialization-weak pattern the new study saw.
Choi et al. (2022) found Vineland scores can stay flat even when kids meet personal ABA goals. Together these papers warn: Vineland growth is slow and may miss real-world progress.
Srivastava et al. (2025) later repeated the idea in Phelan-McDermid syndrome. They also saw social scores stay stuck while other domains inched up.
Why it matters
You can expect modest Vineland gains year to year, especially in social skills. Do not panic if standard scores lag behind a child’s individual goals. Keep social-skill targets explicit in the plan no matter the child’s IQ.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Human growth modeling statistics were utilized to examine how Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale (VABS) scores changed in individuals with autistic disorder as a function of both age and initial IQ. Results revealed that subjects improved with age in all domains. The rate of growth in Communication and Daily Living Skills was related to initial IQ while rate of growth in Social Skills was not. Results should provide hope for parents and further support for the importance of functional social-communication skills in the treatment of autism.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 1999 · doi:10.1023/a:1023078827457