title: Music-based Autism Diagnostics (MUSAD) - A newly developed diagnostic measure for adults with intellectual developmental disabilities suspected of autism.
abstract: The MUSAD was developed as a diagnostic observational instrument in an interactional music framework. It is based on the ICD-10/DSM-5 criteria for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and was designed to assess adults on a lower level of functioning, including individuals with severe language impairments. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the newly developed instrument.
  
  
  METHODS
  Calculations were based on a consecutive clinical sample of N=76 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) suspected of ASD. Objectivity, test-retest reliability, and construct validity were calculated and a confirmatory factor analysis was applied to verify a reduced and optimized test version.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The structural model showed a good fit, while internal consistency of the subscales was excellent (ω>.92). Item difficulties ranged between .04≤pi≤.82 and item-total correlation from .21 to .85. Objectivity was assessed by comparing the scorings of two external raters based on a subsample of n=12; interrater agreement was .71 (ICC 2, 1). Reliability was calculated for four test repetitions: the average ICC (3, 1) was .69. Convergent ASD measures correlated significantly with the MUSAD, while the discriminant Modified Overt Aggression Scale (MOAS) showed no significant overlap.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Confirmation of factorial structure and acceptable psychometric properties suggest that the MUSAD is a promising new instrument for diagnosing ASD in adults with IDD.
authors.affiliation: Protestant Hospital Königin Elisabeth Herzberge, Herzbergstrasse 79, 10365 Berlin, Germany(1). Electronic address: t.bergmann@keh-berlin.de.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bergmann
authors.affiliation: Protestant Hospital Königin Elisabeth Herzberge, Herzbergstrasse 79, 10365 Berlin, Germany(1).
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sappok
authors.affiliation: Protestant Hospital Königin Elisabeth Herzberge, Herzbergstrasse 79, 10365 Berlin, Germany(1).
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Diefenbacher
authors.affiliation: Statistics - Joint Masters Program Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, Garystr. 21, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Sibylle
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dames
authors.affiliation: Protestant Hospital Königin Elisabeth Herzberge, Herzbergstrasse 79, 10365 Berlin, Germany(1).
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heinrich
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Life Sciences/Department of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ziegler
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Life Sciences/Department of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin, Germany; Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dziobek
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009146:Music; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Assessment; Autism; Diagnostics; Intellectual disability; Music therapy