An ICF-CY-based content analysis of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales-II.

BACKGROUND The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), and its version for children and youth (ICF-CY), has been increasingly adopted as a system to describe function and disability. A content analysis of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales-II (VABS-II) was conducted to examine congruence with the functioning and disability component of this framework. METHOD The 383 VABS-II items contained a total of 1,231 concepts. Established linking rules were used to map these concepts to ICF-CY codes. RESULTS Overall the VABS-II concepts were well represented in the ICF-CY. Most of the concepts mapped to activity codes; however, about 30% of concepts were coded as body function. Most concepts represented relatively discrete activities, with more limited coverage of broader categories often included in measures of participation. CONCLUSIONS The VABS-II content maps well to the ICF-CY activity/participation codes. Although VABS-II items ask about typical performance, item requirements often imply specific means of performance.