This study investigated the relationship between data obtained from multiple informants on children’s and adolescent’s behavior to inform clinicians on collecting behavioral data in applied settings. Comparisons were made between behavior in the home as observed by the primary caregiver and in the school environment as observed by a teacher or mental health professional. Caregiver’s and teacher’s ratings of student’s adaptive behavior were significantly correlated, while caregiver’s and mental health professional’s ratings of student’s problem behavior were not significantly related. There was a significant difference between overall mean scores on subscales of adaptive behavior. Specifically, caregivers rated their child’s skills higher than teachers. There were no differences on overall mean scores on problem behavior. Significant differences in scores can be explained by informants contributing valid information from two different environments and the fact that children with autism do not typically generalize skills and behaviors across environments. Results from this study can inform future clinical work as to how to assess a child’s behavior in a specific situation in the most effective and efficient way possible.
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