title: Evaluation of the criterion and convergent validity of the Diagnostic Interview for Social and Communication Disorders in young and low-functioning children.
abstract: The Diagnostic Interview for Social and Communication Disorders (DISCO; Wing, 2006) is a standardized, semi-structured and interviewer-based schedule for diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The objective of this study was to evaluate the criterion and convergent validity of the DISCO-11 ICD-10 algorithm in young and low-functioning children. The DISCO-11, Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS), and Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) were administered to a Dutch sample of 115 children comprising 52 children with ASD (both with and without intellectual disability), 26 children with intellectual disability (non-ASD), and 37 typically developing children. Results indicated high sensitivity and specificity for DISCO-11 classifications in differentiating ASD from non-ASD according to the clinical classification in children with mild intellectual disability or average intelligence. Among children with a moderate or severe intellectual disability the sensitivity was equally high, but the specificity was significantly lower. The agreement between DISCO-11 and ADOS classifications was substantial, between DISCO-11 and SCQ moderate. The correlations between raw scores of the DISCO and ADOS algorithm or SCQ were both high. In conclusion, the DISCO-11 differentiates accurately between autistic disorder and non-ASD in young children with an average intelligence or mild intellectual disability, but is over inclusive in the lower levels of intellectual disability.
authors.affiliation: Leiden University, the Netherlands. maljaars@fsw.leidenuniv.nl
authors.forename: Jarymke
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maljaars
authors.forename: Ilse
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Noens
authors.forename: Evert
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Scholte
authors.forename: Ina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: van Berckelaer-Onnes
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003147:Communication Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis