Factor structure of the construct of adaptive behavior in children with and without intellectual disability

Although the presence of significant limitations in adaptive behavior constitutes one of the three necessary criteria for diagnosing intellectual disability, adaptive behavior structure has always been the subject of considerable controversy among researchers. The main goal of this study is to extend previous research results that provide further support to a multidimensional structure of conceptual, social, and practical skills compared to the unidimensional structure. One-factor and 3-correlated factors models as measured by 15 observable indicators were analyzed by means of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), as well as their relationships with one second-order factor (i.e., adaptive behavior). To that end, 388 children with and without intellectual disabilities were assessed with the Diagnostic Adaptive Behavior Scale (DABS). Results of CFA indicated that the 3 first-order factors solution provides the best fit to the data. Reliability and validity of the multidimensional model were also analyzed through different methods such as the composite reliability and the average variance extracted. Finally, implications of these findings and possible directions for future research are discussed.

ResumenPese a que la presencia de limitaciones significativas en conducta adaptativa constituye uno de los tres criterios necesarios para establecer un diagnóstico de discapacidad intelectual, su estructura siempre ha sido objeto de un polémico debate entre investigadores. El presente estudio tiene como objetivo respaldar resultados previos de investigación que proporcionan un mayor apoyo a una estructura multidimensional de habilidades conceptuales, sociales y prácticas frente a una estructura unidimensional. Mediante Análisis Factorial Confirmatorio (AFC) se analizaron modelos de un único factor y de 3 factores correlacionados, ambos representados por un conjunto de 15 indicadores observables, así como su posible relación con un factor de orden superior (i.e., conducta adaptativa). Para ello, se evaluó la conducta adaptativa de 388 niños con y sin discapacidad intelectual con la Escala de Diagnóstico de Conducta Adaptativa (DABS). Los resultados del AFC pusieron de manifiesto que el modelo de 3 factores de primer orden es el que presenta un mejor ajuste a los datos. La fiabilidad y validez del modelo multidimensional se analizaron además mediante otros métodos como la fiabilidad compuesta y la varianza media extractada. Finalmente se discuten las implicaciones que pudieran derivarse de estos resultados, así como futuras líneas de investigación.