The ABAS-3 combines all-new norms with updated item content to create the leading adaptive skills assessment. Retaining all features that made the second edition the preferred instrument for evaluating adaptive behaviour, the ABAS-3 is even easier to administer and score. Comprehensive, convenient, and cost-effective, this behaviour rating scale measures daily living skills – what people actually do, or can do, without assistance from others. The ABAS-3 is particularly useful for evaluating those with developmental delays, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), intellectual disability, learning disabilities, neuropsychological disorders, and sensory or physical impairments.

Measuring adaptive skills is important when a disorder or other condition affects an individual’s daily functioning. Whether clinicians are trying to identify the best learning environment for a child or are ensuring that an older individual can live independently, the ABAS-3 provides the information necessary to make appropriate clinical decisions and design effective interventions. Its applications are almost endless.

No matter the setting, the age of the individual, or the nature of their limitations, the ABAS-3 can help clinicians:

• Assess adaptive skills.
• Assist in diagnosing and classifying various developmental, learning, and behavioural disabilities and disorders.
• Identify strengths and weaknesses.
• Develop treatment plans and training goals.
• Document and monitor progress over time.
• Determine eligibility for services such as disability benefits.
• Evaluate the capacity to live or work independently.

This versatile instrument lets clinicians gather information from several raters in different settings to obtain a broad view of an individual’s functionality. The ABAS-3 conforms to AAIDD, DSM-5, IDEA, and RTI specifications and can be used with confidence.

Multiple raters, different perspectives

The ABAS-3 includes five rating forms, each for a specific age range and rater:

• Parent/Primary Caregiver Form (birth–5 years)
• Teacher/Daycare Provider Form (ages 2–5 years)
• Parent Form (ages 5–21 years)
• Teacher Form (ages 5–21 years)
• Adult Form (ages 16–89 years)

Parents, family members, teachers, daycare staff, supervisors, counselors, or others who are familiar with the daily activities of the individual being evaluated can complete these forms. The Adult Form can even be administered as a self-reporting tool. The items may be read aloud to raters who have low sight or poor reading skills.

Although it’s possible to evaluate adaptive skills using only a single rater, gathering ratings from several people will provide a more complete assessment. Multiple ratings show how the individual performs in various settings. When different forms are used by different raters to evaluate an individual’s adaptive skills, a comparative report can be generated to show areas that warrant further attention.

Skills and domains consistent with aaidd, dsm-5, idea, and rti guidelines

The ABAS-3 covers three broad adaptive domains: Conceptual, Social, and Practical. Within these domains, the ABAS-3 assesses 11 adaptive skill areas (each form assesses 9 or 10 skill areas based on age range). Items focus on practical, everyday activities required to function, meet environmental demands, care for oneself, and interact with others effectively and independently. Raters use a four-point response scale to indicate whether the individual can perform each activity and, if so, how frequently the individual performs it when needed.

The ABAS-3 is aligned with the AAIDD, DSM-5, and IDEA specifications and works well within an RTI context. The ABAS-3 generates norm-referenced scaled scores and test-age equivalents for the 11 skill areas. It also provides standard scores, confidence intervals, and percentile ranks for the three broad adaptive domains and for the summary score—the General Adaptive Composite. Scores can also be categorized descriptively (Extremely Low, Low, Below Average, Average, Above Average, High).

Sample Reports