title: Observed and Parent-Report Measures of Social Communication in Toddlers With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder Across Race/Ethnicity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigated whether measures of early social communication vary among young children of diverse racial/ethnic status with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 364 toddlers between ages 18 and 36 months with a diagnosis of ASD confirmed (n = 195) or ruled out (n = 169), from 3 racial/ethnic categories: non-Hispanic White (n = 226), non-Hispanic Black (n = 74), and Hispanic (n = 64). Group differences in social communication were examined using an observational measure-the Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales Behavior Sample (CSBS-BS; Wetherby & Prizant, 2002)-and a parent-report measure, the Early Screening for Autism and Communication Disorders (Wetherby, Woods, & Lord, 2007).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Controlling for maternal education, children with ASD scored significantly lower on the CSBS-BS than children without, indicating poorer social communication skills, and higher on the Early Screening for Autism and Communication Disorders, indicating more ASD features. Racial/ethnic groups did not differ on 6 CSBS-BS clusters, but Non-Hispanic White toddlers scored significantly higher than both other groups on the Understanding cluster. There were no significant Diagnosis × Race/Ethnicity interactions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings indicate good agreement between observed and parent-report measures in this sample. Results suggest that the CSBS-BS and Early Screening for Autism and Communication Disorders could be viable tools in the detection process for toddlers with ASD in these racial/ethnic groups.
authors.affiliation: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis.
authors.forename: Sheri T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Stronach
authors.affiliation: Florida State University, Tallahassee.
authors.forename: Amy M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Wetherby
mesh_terms: D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D044383:Black People / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007807:Language Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012016:Reference Values; D012923:Social Class; D000067404:Social Communication Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology*