Measurement of Adaptive Behavior in Prison Environments

Assessment of mental retardation in prison settings has been hampered by the limitations of intelligence testing and the absence of appropriate adaptive behavior (AB) measures. The present article discusses problems associated with assessing AB, describes the development of the American Association...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Rehabilitation psychology 1983, Vol.28 (4), p.217-229
Main Authors: Ursprung, Alex W, Hayman, Peter M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Human
Incarcerated
Measurement
Social Adjustment
Test Construction
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Summary:Assessment of mental retardation in prison settings has been hampered by the limitations of intelligence testing and the absence of appropriate adaptive behavior (AB) measures. The present article discusses problems associated with assessing AB, describes the development of the American Association on Mental Deficiency (AAMD) Adaptive Behavior Scale: Syracuse-Prison Version (ABS-SPV), and presents the results of a contrasted-groups validity study. The ABS-SPV effectively discriminated between high-functioning (honor block) inmates and low-functioning (protective custody) inmates. Future research directions are suggested.
ISSN:0090-5550
1939-1544
DOI:10.1037/h0090975