Adaptive behavior: teachers and parents disagree

This article explores the concept of adaptive behavior. It notes some of the problems in measuring adaptive behavior and focuses on the possible bias that occurs in relying on informed sources to report the child's adaptive behavior. Moderately or severely retarded children (30 Black and 30 White) were selected randomly from schools serving them. A teacher and parent were asked to complete two adaptive behavior scales on each child. Parents and teachers did not always agree on the child's level of adaptive behavior.