Adaptive behaviors among psychiatrically hospitalized children: The role of intelligence and related attributes

Examined adaptive behaviors among 126 psychiatrically hospitalized children. Intelligence has previously been found to serve protective functions for the maintenance of socially competent behaviors. In this study, two constructs in addition to intelligence, possibly associated with this protective effect, were examined: level of academic achievement and the distinction between internalizing and externalizing symptomatology. Sex effects were also examined. Of the variables examined, achievement showed the strongest associations with different types of adaptive behaviors. Further, achievement levels appeared to mediate the modest associations that were found for intelligence. Type of symptomatology had significant associations with adaptive behaviors chiefly in the socialization domain, and these effects seemed largely independent of both IQ and achievement. Results are discussed in terms of implications for interventions with psychiatrically hospitalized children.