title: A review of cultural adaptations of screening tools for autism spectrum disorders.
abstract: Screening children to determine risk for Autism Spectrum Disorders has become more common, although some question the advisability of such a strategy. The purpose of this systematic review is to identify autism screening tools that have been adapted for use in cultures different from that in which they were developed, evaluate the cultural adaptation process, report on the psychometric properties of the adapted instruments, and describe the implications for further research and clinical practice. A total of 21 articles met criteria for inclusion, reporting on the cultural adaptation of autism screening in 19 countries and in 10 languages. The cultural adaptation process was not always clearly outlined and often did not include the recommended guidelines. Cultural/linguistic modifications to the translated tools tended to increase with the rigor of the adaptation process. Differences between the psychometric properties of the original and adapted versions were common, indicating the need to obtain normative data on populations to increase the utility of the translated tool.
authors.affiliation: San Diego State University/University of California, USA sandra.soto@mail.sdsu.edu.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Soto
authors.affiliation: Georgetown Center for Child and Human Development, USA.
authors.forename: Keri
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Linas
authors.affiliation: Georgetown Center for Child and Human Development, USA.
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jacobstein
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Georgetown University, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Biel
authors.affiliation: Georgetown Center for Child and Human Development, USA.
authors.forename: Talia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Migdal
authors.affiliation: Georgetown Center for Child and Human Development, USA.
authors.forename: Bruno J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Anthony
mesh_terms: D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002648:Child; D054521:Cultural Competency; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D011594:Psychometrics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014175:Translating
keywords: autism; cultural adaptation; screening tools