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The Floor Effect on the ABAS-II in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder

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Abstract

The present study aimed at enhancing the assessment of adaptive behavior in adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder trough the Adaptive Behavior Assessment System-Second Edition. To overcome the limits underpinning floor effect, which are commonly observed with the traditional methods, the statistical Hessl method and its revision by Orsini, Pezzuti and Hulbert was adopted. The results showed a more variation using the former method compared to the latter: a greater impairment in Social versus Leisure skills emerged. Regarding the Conceptual domain, a greater deficit in Functional Academics was observed. In the Practical domain, we found a greater impairment in Self-Care skills. Conversely, Home Living skills appeared as a strength compared to other skills. The results are discussed in reference to literature.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy

    Fiorenzo Laghi

  2. Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Via dei Marsi 78, 00185, Rome, Italy

    Rosa Ferri, Elvira Caramuscio, Monica Rea & Lina Pezzuti

  3. Department of Human Sciences, European University of Rome, Rome, Italy

    Antonia Lonigro

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  1. Fiorenzo Laghi
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  2. Rosa Ferri
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  3. Elvira Caramuscio
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  4. Antonia Lonigro
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  5. Monica Rea
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  6. Lina Pezzuti
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Contributions

The authors discussed the contents of this article together. Fiorenzo Laghi, Rosa Ferri and Lina Pezzuti conceptualized the study elaborated on the research design and hypotheses, and contributed to the interpretation of research findings. Elvira Caramuscio, Antonia Lonigro, and Monica Rea collected data and contributed to writing and editing of this paper and collected the references and carried out management activities to scrub and maintain research data. Lina Pezzuti and Fiorenzo Laghi devised the methodological content, analyzed the data, and contributed to the interpretation of research findings. Fiorenzo Laghi, Rosa Ferri, and Lina Pezzuti wrote the final version of this paper.

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Correspondence to Lina Pezzuti.

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The research has been approved by the ethical committee of the Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies of the Faculty of Medicine and Psychology of the Sapienza University of Rome.

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Laghi, F., Ferri, R., Caramuscio, E. et al. The Floor Effect on the ABAS-II in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 52, 4975–4985 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-021-05369-y

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