THE ALLIANCE OF ADAPTIVE-BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL COMPETENCE - AN EXAMINATION OF RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE SCALES OF INDEPENDENT BEHAVIOR AND THE SOCIAL SKILLS RATING SYSTEM

This study examined the relationship between ratings of adaptive behav ior and social competence in a population of 208 students in kindergar ten through third grade with a variety of disabilities using the Scale s of Independent Behavior (SIB; Bruininks, Woodcock, Weatherman, & Hil l, 1984) and the Social Skills Rating System (SSRS, Gresham & Elliott, 1990). Moderate yet statistically significant relationships between t he SIB adaptive behavior scores and the SSRS social competence scores were found, with strongest correlations occurring between the SSRS and the Social and Communication subscale (r = .51) and Work Skills subsc ale (r = .60) on the SIB. Weak to near zero correlations were found be tween the SIB adaptive behavior scores and SSRS Problem Behaviors scor es. This investigation provides new evidence for the concurrent criter ion-related validity of both the SIB and the SSRS