title: Screening and direct assessment methodology to determine the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders.
abstract: Findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-sponsored Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) network suggest a growing prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). The rigorous ADDM record review methodology has provided valuable insight into the epidemiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but recent studies using alternative methods have reported significantly higher prevalence estimates. The South Carolina Children's Educational Surveillance Study (SUCCESS) was designed to determine ASD prevalence via population-based screening and direct assessment and to compare prevalence results to ADDM and administrative prevalence counts. This article provides an overview of the methods used for this study.
  
  
  
  SUCCESS involved a novel (first in the United States) population-based screening approach combined with direct assessment to determine ASD prevalence.
  
  
  
  SUCCESS results will be compared to those obtained via records-based surveillance (ADDM) and administrative counts in the same population of children. This article describes the methods for developing and implementing SUCCESS and rationale for major decisions. Procedures used to maximize participation and accurately determine case status are discussed. Study results will be available in 2016.
  
  
  
  Accurate reporting of ASD prevalence is important to researchers, health care providers, policy makers, and families. This study will clarify the findings of various methods used to estimate ASD prevalence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston. Electronic address: carpentl@musc.edu.
authors.forename: Laura A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Carpenter
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston; Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston; Department of Neurology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston.
authors.forename: Andrea D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Boan
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston.
authors.forename: Amy E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Wahlquist
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign.
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston.
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Charles
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jenner
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston.
authors.forename: Catherine C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Bradley
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002487:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D013022:South Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Autism spectrum disorders; Children; Developmental disabilities; Prevalence