The comparative view of adaptive behavior between clinicians and caregivers as measured by ADOS-2 and Vineland: A paradigm of using behavioral data on Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Clinical practitioners in Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) emphasize the importance of focusing on the adaptive abilities of children with ASD, rather than solely relying on IQ measures to describe their abilities. Similarly, contemporary literature suggests that a comprehensive assessment of the individual’s abilities in areas such as social interaction, communication (expressive, receptive, and written), play, and daily living activities is essential for developing effective rehabilitation plans. This approach considers the unique potential, strengths, and challenges of each individual with ASD and provides a more holistic view of their competencies. A common practice is to administer self-report scales to parents to determine the levels of ability in the aforementioned domains. However, the problem with this approach is the subjectivity bias reported by parents/caregivers. To address this issue, within the framework of Rare-ID, a research network of academic, genetic, and rehabilitation centers working towards the creation of the first Greek database of genetic-behavioral-phenotypic data on Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), we administered both clinical-report scales (ADOS-2) and self-report measures (Vineland) to each participant. The aim of this approach was to determine whether caregivers tend to overestimate or underestimate crucial adaptive abilities. Our results demonstrate high correlation coefficients among the subdomains of ADOS-2 and Vineland. Also, we compare the measures given by clinicians and caregivers by reporting t-test estimates of the mean difference between these groups. Our findings seek to demonstrate the potential bias inherent in self-report assessments and whether they constitute a reliable source of ability reporting, leading to an accurate personalized remediation agenda. This project has received funding from the Greek General Secretariat for Research and Innovation (2019-2023) reviewed acceptedVersion