title: Improving the reliability of autism diagnoses: examining the utility of adaptive behavior.
abstract: The classification agreement of the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) and the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) was examined in 129 children and adolescents (aged 7-18 years) who were evaluated for autism. Participants received a diagnosis of autism or non-autism based on the ADI-R. Linear discriminant analysis revealed adequate concordance between the ADI-R and ADOS, with 75% of the participants being correctly classified using the ADOS. Classification accuracy significantly improved to 84% when a measure of adaptive functioning (i.e., the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales) was included in the analysis. The findings suggest that when clinicians obtain discrepant information on the ADI-R and ADOS, assessment of an individual's adaptive functioning may reduce diagnostic errors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, 1300 Moursund, Houston, TX 77030-3497, USA.
authors.forename: Stacey S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Tomanik
authors.forename: Deborah A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Pearson
authors.forename: Katherine A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Loveland
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Lane
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bryant Shaw
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results