title: Sensitivity and specificity of the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers and the Social Communication Questionnaire in preschoolers suspected of having pervasive developmental disorders.
abstract: This study assessed the psychometric properties of the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) and the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) in a sample of preschool children referred for possible pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs). The sample consisted of 82 children between the ages of 18 and 70 months (54 with a PDD diagnosis and 28 with non-PDD diagnoses). M-CHAT scores were analyzed for 56 children aged 18-48 months old and SCQ scores were analyzed for 65 children aged 30-70 months old. Optimal sensitivity and specificity were achieved using the cutoff score of any three items on the M-CHAT and lowering the cutoff score of the SCQ. The diagnostic agreement of both instruments was also compared in an overlapping subsample of 39 children aged 30-48 months. Overall, the M-CHAT and SCQ appear to more accurately classify children with PDDs who have lower intellectual and adaptive functioning.
authors.affiliation: Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210-1257, USA.
authors.forename: Anne V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Snow
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lecavalier
mesh_terms: D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003142:Communication; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000592:standards*; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires