Differential Profiles of Adaptive Behavior of Maltreated Children

Although it is well established that maltreatment is associated with a host of developmental, emotional, and behavioral challenges, relatively little is known about the adaptive behavior of children who have been abused or neglected. The present study examined 160 children in foster care; 42 were removed from their families because of abuse and 118 were removed because of neglect. A demographically matched comparison group was obtained from the standardization sample of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales and Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Second Edition. The 3 groups of children were compared in order to examine potential differences in communication, daily living, and socialization skills. A multivariate analysis of variance and follow-up descriptive discriminant analysis concluded that the 3 groups had significantly different mean scores on all 3 Vineland domains, and children who were neglected had the most clinically significant delays in all areas. Clinical and practice implications are discussed.