title: The autism mental status exam: sensitivity and specificity using DSM-5 criteria for autism spectrum disorder in verbally fluent adults.
abstract: The phenotypic heterogeneity of adults suspected of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) requires a standardized diagnostic approach that is feasible in all clinical settings. The autism mental status exam (AMSE) is an eight-item observational assessment that structures the observation and documentation of social, communicative and behavioral signs and symptoms of ASD. Previous findings indicate high classification accuracy when compared to the autism diagnostic observation schedule in a non-stratified population of high-risk patients suspected of having ASD. This protocol investigates the sensitivity and specificity of AMSE scores using DSM-5 criteria for ASD in a sample of high-risk verbally fluent adults. Findings indicate an optimized sensitivity of 0.91 and a specificity of 0.93 for this group. Because of its high clinical utility, the AMSE holds promise as a diagnostic assessment tool that can support one's clinical diagnosis of ASD in high-risk adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave Levy Place, Box 1230, New York, NY, USA, david.grodberg@mssm.edu.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grodberg
authors.forename: Paige M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Weinger
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Halpern
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parides
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kolevzon
authors.forename: Joseph D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Buxbaum
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000523:psychology*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult