title: Use of the Modified Checklist for Autism, Revised with Follow Up-Albanian to Screen for ASD in Albania.
abstract: The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers Revised-Albanian screener (M-CHAT-R-A) was used to screen 2594 toddlers, aged 16-30 months, at well-child visits. Two hundred fifty-three (9.75 %) screened positive; follow up on failed items were conducted by phone with 127 (50 %); the remainder were lost to follow-up. Twenty-six toddlers (21 %) continued to screen positive; 19 received full evaluations, which assessed for ASD with the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule and developmental delays with the Parents Assessment of Developmental Status-Developmental Milestones. All evaluated children had significant delays; 17 of the 19 met criteria for Autism/ASD. Removal of three items improved performance. Although Albania and the US are quite different in culture and language, key features of ASD appeared very similar.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brennan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Pediatrics, University of Connecticut, 406 Babbidge Rd., Storrs, CT, 06268, USA. deborah.fein@uconn.edu.
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-8478-5938
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fein
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Albanian Children's Foundation "Domenick Scaglione" Regional Center for Autism, Tirana Medical University, Tirana, Albania.
authors.forename: Ariel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Como
authors.affiliation: South London and Maudsley Foundation NHS Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: Iris Carcani
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Rathwell
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA.
authors.forename: Chi-Ming
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000415:Albania; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D057189:Checklist; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014175:Translating
keywords: Albania; Autism/ASD; M-CHAT-R; M-CHAT-R/F; Screening