Adaptive behavior achievement in adults with severe visual impairment and mental retardation with implications for planning specialized interventions.

Abstract

Little information exists on the current status of adults with severe visual impairment and mental retardation (vi/mr), particularly those being served by the mental retardation/developmental disabilities service system. This study examined the effects of severe visual impairment on overall adaptive and maladaptive behavior as well as on specific adaptive behavior domains (mobility, socialization, language, and selfcare) in adult (over age 22) clients of California's Developmental Disabilities service system. The study controlled for the effects severity of mental retardation, residential placement and additional impairments. Subjects with severe visual impairment were found to have significantly lower adaptive behavior scores than those subjects without visual impairment. Contrary to expectations, severe visual impairment was not associated with significantly higher maladaptive behavior scores, after controlling for the effects of confounding variables. The effects of age and gender were also revealing. Age did not necessarily produce a decline in skill levels after taking into account confounding factors except in the case of mobility, selfcare and overall adaptive behavior scores. In these adaptive behavior domains, skills significantly increased in early adulthood, remained more or less stable over time and then abruptly dropped off in late adulthood (around age of 67). Women subjects were found to have significantly greater scores in selfcare and mobility than men subjects. The study explores the implications of the results and discusses how agencies serving persons with severe visual impairment and mental retardation can improve the services offered to this population.