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Three ideas to carry forward
- 01Useful skills depend on the person's life, culture, setting, and goals.
- 02Support can include teaching, accommodations, technology, and environmental changes.
- 03Independence includes choosing when and how to ask for help.
Sooo...What Are Adaptive Skills? These 10 skill areas include.
Self-Care – bathing, dressing, grooming, and feeding one’s self;
Communication Skills – understanding and using verbal and nonverbal language;
Self-Direction – problem-solving, exercising choice, initiating and planning activities;
Social Skills – maintaining interpersonal relationships, understanding emotions and social cues, understanding fairness and honesty, obeying rules and laws;
Leisure Skills – taking responsibility for one’s own activities, having the ability to participate in the community;
Home or School Living – housekeeping, cooking, doing laundry, maintaining living space;
Functional Academics – using reading, writing, and math skills in everyday life;
Community Use – shopping, using public transportation, using community services;
Work – ability to maintain part-time or full-time employment, either competitive or sheltered, ability to work under supervision, cooperate with coworkers, be reliable and punctual, and meet work standards, and;
Health and Safety – ability to protect one’s self, responding to health problems.
Why Are Adaptive Skills Important?
Educational information
This article is general education, not diagnosis, treatment advice, or a promise that a specific service is appropriate or available. A qualified professional can help interpret individual needs and options.
Sources and further reading
Continue with primary guidance.
These independent resources support further education. Their inclusion does not imply endorsement of Crimson Heights.
- [1]Centers for Disease Control and PreventionDevelopmental DisabilitiesGovernment overview of developmental disabilities and support needs.(opens in a new tab)
- [2]National Institute of Child Health and Human DevelopmentAbout Intellectual and Developmental DisabilitiesNIH background on intellectual and developmental disabilities and daily functioning.(opens in a new tab)
- [3]World Health OrganizationInternational Classification of Functioning, Disability and HealthWHO framework connecting functioning with personal and environmental context.(opens in a new tab)
