title: Examining the validity of the columbia impairment scale for assessing level of functioning in youth with autism spectrum disorder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit impairment in numerous areas of functioning, most notably in the areas related to social interactions, communication, and behavior at school and at home. Understanding the severity of the impairment in each of the domains associated with areas of functioning is imperative when evaluating the efficacy of an intervention, whether it be medical, therapeutic, or both.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study sought to examine the convergent and discriminant validity of the Columbia Impairment Scale (CIS) for youth with ASD, and their parents.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of 77 adolescents with ASD and their parents completed the CIS and various other measures that examined mood, anxiety, and behavior.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although there was some evidence of convergent validity for the parent-report CIS, there was inadequate discriminant validity. The child-report version of the CIS yielded generally poor validity indices.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There appear to be important limitations when using this measure for youth with ASD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Education, University of California , Los Angeles, California.
authors.forename: Kaycie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zielinski
authors.forename: Jeffrey J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Renno
authors.forename: Siena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Whitham
authors.forename: Lindsey
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sterling
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales