manual scoring for ABAS on the low ability end- Scaled scores of 0 or 1

[singasongofjoy]

Very specific question, but... I'm hand-scoring an ABAS-3 (adaptive behavior assessment). The client has significant ID and scored very low on all domains. The corresponding appendix for his age does not list any scaled score less than one, making the minimum sum of scaled scores one could achieve = 10 for overall, 3 for conceptual domain, 2 for social, etc. and this guy hit the floor with regards to scoring.

However, in taking the sum of scaled scores to get the overall and domain scores, there are scores for sum of ss less than those totals I listed above (e.g., for an overall score where the sum of scaled scores = 4). But I don't see how this is possible if it is not possible to get a scaled score less than 1. I've pored over the manual for quite some time but don't see any caveats. In the table to convert from raw score to scaled score, the lowest scaled score range always includes a raw score of zero.

But in the manual they have an example where an individual has ID, and the scores indicate that they must have scored it such that the domain score totals were less than if each scaled score was 1. (e.g., there are 5 areas that go into the practical domain. So I would think the lowest scaled score total possible would be 5. However, looking at the appropriate table for the case example- a 29yo adult, same age bracket as my client- and working backwards shows that he must have achieved e.g., a 4 total of scaled scores for this domain equating with like 46th percentile or something, which is a score that would be impossible with what I think is the minimum possible score of 5 (numbers may not be exact, but you get the point).

So my question is: Does anyone know if it is the case that if I were to use the (expensive) computer program to score these for my less-capable clients, that I would get different numbers than by hand scoring? It doesn't make sense to me if that is the case why that info wouldn't just be included in the manual somehow. I feel like I am missing something very obvious about the scoring but I can't figure it out- and neither can the other 2 psychologists in the clinic I roped into looking at the manual and trying to figure it out.

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[schoolpsycht]

I am a practicing school psychologist and I usually use another rating scale for adaptive behavior, but chose the ABAS-3 for a student due to his age and the extension of the norms to 21 years if a student is still in school. I know a long time has passed since your original post, but I am wondering if you ever received an answer to your question as my results are very similar to yours and I cannot understand how it is possible to get a lower sum of scaled scores than the number of subscales in that area? Thanks in advance if you can provide any assistance.

 

[singasongofjoy]

I am a practicing school psychologist and I usually use another rating scale for adaptive behavior, but chose the ABAS-3 for a student due to his age and the extension of the norms to 21 years if a student is still in school. I know a long time has passed since your original post, but I am wondering if you ever received an answer to your question as my results are very similar to yours and I cannot understand how it is possible to get a lower sum of scaled scores than the number of subscales in that area? Thanks in advance if you can provide any assistance.

I've surmised that it's best to just use the Vineland with the folks who are likely to hit the floor on the ABAS, despite the fact that the caregiver report form for the Vineland 3 is confusing and gets filled out wrong more often than not, which is relevant if you're in a setting where these parent report forms are usually sent home to be returned by caregivers. The reason I was using the ABAS during that post was for folks at a residential facility, where the case managers are long-timers who are good at their job and can easily be instructed on how to fill it out correctly. In the clinic, I may just switch to the Vineland for select cases and have parents fill it out in the waiting room while I am doing testing so that I can follow up with additional questions and check to make sure it's all completely filled out later. I prefer to do it all via interview, but current flow doesn't always allow for that.