Effects of Intelligence Levels and Autistic Severity on Adaptive Functioning and Cognitive-Adaptive Functioning Gaps in School-Aged Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Purpose: The aim of our study was to explore the underlying influencing factors of adaptive functioning and cognitive-adaptive functioning gaps in school-aged children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Patients and Methods: Adaptive functioning of our subjects (n=107) were evaluated via Adaptive Behavior Assessment System (ABAS). Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) and Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) were applied to assess the intelligence levels and autistic severity of them, respectively. Spearman correlation analyses were applied to investigate the associations between intelligence levels, autistic symptoms and adaptive functioning and cognitive-adaptive functioning gaps. Hierarchical regressions were performed to examine the effects of demographic data, cognitive levels, autistic severity and behavioral factors on General Adaptive Composite (GAC). Results: Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI), Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI), Working Memory Index (WMI) and Processing Speed Index (PSI) of WISC were positively correlated with Conceptual, Social domains and GAC (P<0.01). There were positive correlations between VCI, PRI and PSI and Practical domain (P<0.01). Positive associations were discovered between full-scale intelligence quotient (FSIQ) and the three domains and GAC in ABAS (P<0.01). Social Affect (SA), Restricted and Repetitive Behavior (RRB) and Total scores of ADOS were negatively correlated with the three domains (P<0.05). Comparison Scores were negatively correlated with Conceptual and Social domains (P<0.05). Negative correlations were found between SA, RRB, Total scores, Comparison Scores and GAC (P<0.05). VCI, PRI, WMI, PSI and FSIQ were positively correlated with FSIQ-Conceptual, FSIQ-Social, FSIQ-Practical and FSIQ-GAC gaps (P<0.01). SA was inversely correlated with FSIQ-Conceptual and FSIQ-Practical gaps (P<0.05). Total scores were inversely correlated with FSIQ-Conceptual, FSIQ-Practical and FSIQ-GAC gaps (P<0.05). Hierarchical regressions showed that FSIQ was positively correlated with GAC in the total model (P=0.015); whereas RRB was inversely correlated with GAC (P=0.014). Conclusion: Intelligence levels and autistic severity were important contributors of adaptive functioning and cognitive-adaptive functioning gaps in children with ASD.