Adaptive behavior and behavior problems in relation to academic achievement in children and adolescents with mental retardation

The interrelationship between behavior problems, adaptive behavior and academic achievement was studied in children with IQ’s between 60 and 70. The objective was to increase the insight into the contribution of adaptive behavior and general and autistic behavior problems to academic achievement in children with mental retardation. Children from two levels of education were compared on adaptive behavior (VABS), general behavior problems (CBCL) and autistic behavior problems (ABC). The effect of behavior problems on adaptive behavior, and the causal relationships between behavior problems, adaptive behavior and level of education were investigated. In children from the highest level of mild mental retardation, adaptive behavior seems to be the most important factor that directly influences the level of education that a child attends. Autistic and general behavior problems directly influence the level of adaptive behavior. Especially the problems in the area of autism seem to have such a restrictive effect on the level of adaptive behavior that children do not reach the level of education that would be expected based on IQ. Implications of these findings for clinical practice are discussed.