The Diagnostic Adaptive Behavior Scale: Evaluating its diagnostic sensitivity and specificity

•Evaluate sensitivity and specificity of a diagnostic scale is mandatory.•DABS correctly identifies 81–98% of the individuals with an ID diagnosis (sensitivity).•DABS correctly identifies 89–91% of the individuals without an ID diagnosis (specificity). The Diagnostic Adaptive Behavior Scale (DABS) w...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Research in developmental disabilities 2014-11, Vol.35 (11), p.2884-2893
Main Authors: Balboni, Giulia, Tassé, Marc J., Schalock, Robert L., Borthwick-Duffy, Sharon A., Spreat, Scott, Thissen, David, Widaman, Keith F., Zhang, Dalun, Navas, Patricia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation, Psychological
Adaptive behavior
Adolescent
Case-Control Studies
Child
Child, Preschool
Female
Humans
Intellectual disability
Intellectual Disability - diagnosis
Intellectual Disability - psychology
Male
Mental Disorders - diagnosis
Mental Disorders - psychology
Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
ROC Curve
Sensitivity
Sensitivity and Specificity
Social Behavior
Specificity
Surveys and Questionnaires
Young Adult
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Summary:•Evaluate sensitivity and specificity of a diagnostic scale is mandatory.•DABS correctly identifies 81–98% of the individuals with an ID diagnosis (sensitivity).•DABS correctly identifies 89–91% of the individuals without an ID diagnosis (specificity). The Diagnostic Adaptive Behavior Scale (DABS) was constructed with items across three domains – conceptual, social, and practical adaptive skills – and normed on a representative sample of American individuals from 4 to 21 years of age. The DABS was developed to focus its assessment around the decision point for determining the presence or absence of significant limitations of adaptive behavior for the diagnosis of Intellectual Disability (ID). The purpose of this study, which was composed of 125 individuals with and 933 without an ID-related diagnosis, was to determine the ability of the DABS to correctly identify the individuals with and without ID (i.e., sensitivity and specificity). The results indicate that the DABS sensitivity coefficients ranged from 81% to 98%, specificity coefficients ranged from 89% to 91%, and that the Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve were excellent or good. These results indicate that the DABS has very good levels of diagnostic efficiency.
ISSN:0891-4222
1873-3379
DOI:10.1016/j.ridd.2014.07.032