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Kniola A, Ludwig NN, Singh V, Bradley C, Carpenter L, Dillon EF, Kanne S, Kim SH, Parish-Morris J, Snyder LG, Wodka EL. Delayed Milestones and Demographic Factors Relate to the Accuracy of Autism Screening in Females Using Spoken Language. J Autism Dev Disord 2024:10.1007/s10803-024-06579-w. [PMID: 39377898 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-024-06579-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/19/2024] [Indexed: 10/09/2024]
Abstract
Examine how milestone development, demographics, and emotional/behavioral functioning predict autistic females meeting the cutoff on a commonly used Autism screening tool (Social Communication Questionnaire: SCQ). We hypothesized that autistic girls with fewer developmental delays, whose parents have lower education, or are Black or Multiracial would be less likely to meet the SCQ cutoff. Further, those with more symptoms of Withdrawal/Depression, Social Problems, Thought Problems, and Attention Problems on the (Child Behavioral Checklist: CBCL) would be more likely to screen positive. A subset of participants enrolled in a large national cohort (SPARK) were included (5,946 autistic females). A cutoff score on the SCQ of 11 was used to form groups: Meet (M: N = 5,186) and Not Meeting (NM: N = 760). Autistic girls who had delayed toileting and motor milestones and whose parents attained higher education were more likely to screen positive. Girls who scored within the clinical range on the CBCL Thought Problems and Attention Problems syndrome scales were more likely to screen positive. Race and reported symptoms on the Withdrawn/Depressed and Social Problems syndrome scales did not relate to screening status. Results further support the existing literature suggesting that autistic girls must present with more significant delays/symptoms to be screened and diagnosed with autism, which can could impact their access to early intervention services and future skill development. Future research should examine additional factors that specifically put females at a disadvantage for being accurately identified, particularly for those who are speaking and/or of average cognitive ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Kniola
- Center for Neuropsychological and Psychological Assessment, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Natasha N Ludwig
- Center for Neuropsychological and Psychological Assessment, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Vini Singh
- Center for Autism Services, Science and Innovation, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Catherine Bradley
- Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, USA
| | - Laura Carpenter
- Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, USA
| | - Emily F Dillon
- Department of Life Sciences, Carroll University, Waukesha, USA
| | - Stephen Kanne
- Center for Autism and the Developing Brain, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, USA
| | - So Hyun Kim
- School of Psychology, Korea University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Julia Parish-Morris
- Center for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Ericka L Wodka
- Center for Neuropsychological and Psychological Assessment, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Center for Autism Services, Science and Innovation, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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2
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Dahl E, Moody EJ, Barger B, Rosenberg S, DiGuiseppi C, Fallin MD, Lee LC, Wiggins L. Differential Performance of Social Communication Questionnaire Items in African American/Black vs. White Children. J Autism Dev Disord 2024; 54:1820-1833. [PMID: 36897518 PMCID: PMC10913152 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-023-05931-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
Screening for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an essential early step in the identification process and inaccurate screening may lead to significant delays in the onset of treatment. Past research has highlighted discrepancies in the performance of ASD screening tools such as the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) among certain racial and ethnic groups. The current study explored the functioning of the SCQ among African American/Black and White respondents based on item level performance on the measure. Differential Item Functioning (DIF) analyses showed that 16 (41%) items of the SCQ functioned differently for African American/Black respondents when compared to White respondents. Implications, such as the potential for delayed diagnosis and treatment, and the influence on downstream outcomes, are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ethan Dahl
- Department of Education, Health, & Behavior Studies, College of Education & Human Development, University of North Dakota, 231 Centennial Dr Stop 7189, Grand Forks, ND, 58202-7189, USA.
| | - Eric J Moody
- Wyoming Institute for Disabilities, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
| | - Brian Barger
- Center for Leadership in Disabilities, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Steven Rosenberg
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Carolyn DiGuiseppi
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - M Daniele Fallin
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Li-Ching Lee
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Lisa Wiggins
- National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
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3
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Coulter KL, Moreno P, Barton M, Dumont-Mathieu T, Robins DL, Fein DA. Validity of the Toddler Autism Symptom Inventory in Non-Hispanic White and Black Toddlers. J Autism Dev Disord 2024; 54:339-352. [PMID: 36316523 PMCID: PMC10148924 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05756-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/01/2023]
Abstract
Racial disparities exist in autism diagnosis, and yet, the development of most diagnostic tools has not explicitly examined measurement equity between racial and ethnic groups. We examined the validity of the Toddler Autism Symptom Inventory (TASI), a semi-structured interview developed for diagnosis of toddlers, in non-Hispanic Black/African American and non-Hispanic White children. After controlling for group differences in socio-economic status, no differences in diagnosis, age at diagnosis, mean developmental level, or autism severity were found. TASI ROC curves for both groups, in the overall sample, and in samples stratified by SES, showed high AUC values. Validity of two cutoff scores was acceptable. Lack of significant differences in TASI score or responses to individual items suggests similar symptomatology. These results provide early support for the use of the TASI in diagnostic evaluations of Black and White children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsty L Coulter
- University of Connecticut, 406 Unit 1020, Babbidge Rd, 06269, Storrs, CT, USA.
| | - Paula Moreno
- University of Connecticut, 406 Unit 1020, Babbidge Rd, 06269, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Marianne Barton
- University of Connecticut, 406 Unit 1020, Babbidge Rd, 06269, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Thyde Dumont-Mathieu
- University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Connecticut Children's Medical Center, Farmington, CT, USA
| | | | - Deborah A Fein
- University of Connecticut, 406 Unit 1020, Babbidge Rd, 06269, Storrs, CT, USA
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Lee CM, Altschuler MR, Esler AN, Burrows CA, Hudock RL. Why are only some children with autism spectrum disorder misclassified by the social communication questionnaire? An empirical investigation of individual differences in sensitivity and specificity in a clinic-referred sample. J Neurodev Disord 2023; 15:28. [PMID: 37608249 PMCID: PMC10463287 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-023-09497-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) is a checklist for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) commonly used in research and clinical practice. While the original validation study suggested that the SCQ was an accurate ASD screener with satisfactory sensitivity and specificity, subsequent studies have yielded mixed results, with some revealing low sensitivity, low specificity, and low utility in some settings. METHOD The present study examined the psychometric properties of the SCQ as well as the individual difference characteristics of 187 individuals with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who were misclassified or accurately classified by the SCQ in a clinic-referred sample. RESULTS The SCQ showed suboptimal sensitivity and specificity, regardless of age and sex. Compared to true positives, individuals classified as false positives displayed greater externalizing and internalizing problems, whereas individuals classified as false negatives displayed better social communication and adaptive skills. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest that non-autistic developmental and behavioral individual difference characteristics may explain high rates of misclassification using the SCQ. Clinicians and researchers could consider using the SCQ in combination with other tools for young children with internalizing and externalizing symptoms and other more complex clinical presentations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chimei M Lee
- Division of Clinical Behavioral Neuroscience, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, 2025 E River Pkwy, Minneapolis, MN, 55414, USA.
| | | | - Amy N Esler
- Division of Clinical Behavioral Neuroscience, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, 2025 E River Pkwy, Minneapolis, MN, 55414, USA
| | - Catherine A Burrows
- Division of Clinical Behavioral Neuroscience, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, 2025 E River Pkwy, Minneapolis, MN, 55414, USA
| | - Rebekah L Hudock
- Division of Clinical Behavioral Neuroscience, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, 2025 E River Pkwy, Minneapolis, MN, 55414, USA
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Cao M, Li L, Raat H, Van Grieken A, Wang X, Lin L, Chen Q, Jing J. Socioeconomic factors and autism among 16- to 30-month-old children: Evidence from a national survey of China. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2022:13623613221132743. [DOI: 10.1177/13623613221132743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
We examined the association of socioeconomic status with the diagnosis of autism during 16–30 months of age. Using data from a national survey in China, we included 6049 children (55.6% male) in the final analysis, among which 71 of them were clinically diagnosed with autism. Adjusted for covariates, the odds ratios for having the diagnosis of autism (2.46, 95% confidence interval: [1.32, 4.59]) among children whose mother’s level is “junior middle school or below” were significantly higher than children whose mother’s level is “college or above.” Among children of lower educated mothers, there is a higher risk of being diagnosed with autism at a young age. We recommend more support for families with a low socioeconomic status to early detect, diagnose, and manage autism. Lay abstract Does being born in a family of high socioeconomic status mean a higher risk of being diagnosed with autism? The evidence from the Asian area is lacking. This research was conducted among 6049 toddlers who went through an evaluation–diagnose procedure of autism and whose parents were surveyed during the national survey of China, 2016–2017. Parents reported their education levels, occupations, family income, and ethnic background. We recruited the toddlers and parents from kindergartens, communities, and hospitals in five geographically representative areas of China. On average, these toddlers were 23 months of age. We found toddlers whose mothers had less than 9 years of education (junior middle school or below) had 2.46 times the chance to get a diagnosis of autism, compared with toddlers whose mothers had more than 15 years of education (college or above). We also found that 1.17 toddlers could be diagnosed with autism in each 100 Chinese toddlers. These findings have important implications for providing support to families that have low socioeconomic status, especially families with a mother who did not complete 9 years of education. Early detection programs focused on children from low socioeconomic backgrounds should be promoted.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Li Li
- Maternity and Children Health Care Hospital of Luohu District, China
| | - Hein Raat
- Erasmus University Medical Centre, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | - Qiang Chen
- Zhuhai Women and Children’s Hospital, China
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6
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Liu SY, Wang X, Chen Q, Chen JJ, Jin CK, Zhan XL, Guo CH, Li XH, Lin LZ, Jing J. The validity and reliability of the simplified Chinese version of the Social Communication Questionnaire. Autism Res 2022; 15:1732-1741. [PMID: 35403828 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
This study aims to validate the simplified Chinese version of the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) in children aged 2-12 years from both general and clinical populations. We recruited 819 Chinese children in this study, including 505 typically developing (TD) children, 202 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and 112 children with non-ASD neurodevelopmental disorders. All the children's parents completed the simplified Chinese version of the SCQ and all children with ASD were additionally assessed for intelligence and the Childhood Autism Rating Scale to confirm their diagnosis. We have developed a 40-item, 4-factor structure of SCQ with two domains (social communication and social interaction; and restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior), which showed adequate goodness of fit (comparative fit index [CFI] = 0.96, Tucker-Lewis index [TLI] = 0.95, standardized root mean squared residual [SRMR] = 0.07, root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = 0.05), with good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.92). We have provided different cut-offs to distinguish ASD cases from TD children (11 for children under 4 years [sensitivity: 0.96, specificity: 0.95], 12 for children 4 years and above [sensitivity: 0.93, specificity: 0.98]) or children with other neurodevelopmental disorders (14 [sensitivity: 0.85, specificity: 0.88]). Through this large sample validation, we confirmed that the simplified Chinese version of the SCQ could be used for children aged 2-12 years with relatively good psychometric properties. LAY SUMMARY: We aimed to develop the simplified Chinese version of the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) for Chinese children aged 2-12 years as a screening tool to identified potential risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We have developed a 40-item, 4-factor structure of SCQ with two domains, which showed adequate goodness of fit and good psychometric properties. We also provided different cut-offs to identify ASD cases in general or clinical populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si-Yu Liu
- Research Center of Children and Adolescent Psychological and Behavioral Development, Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Research Center of Children and Adolescent Psychological and Behavioral Development, Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Qiang Chen
- Department of Child Psychological Health, Zhuhai Women and Children's Hospital, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Jia-Jie Chen
- Research Center of Children and Adolescent Psychological and Behavioral Development, Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Cheng-Kai Jin
- Research Center of Children and Adolescent Psychological and Behavioral Development, Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiao-Ling Zhan
- Research Center of Children and Adolescent Psychological and Behavioral Development, Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Cui-Hua Guo
- Child Health Care Institute, Dongguan Children's Hospital, Dongguan, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiu-Hong Li
- Research Center of Children and Adolescent Psychological and Behavioral Development, Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Li-Zi Lin
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jin Jing
- Research Center of Children and Adolescent Psychological and Behavioral Development, Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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7
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Tseng A, Camchong J, Francis SM, Mueller BA, Lim KO, Conelea CA, Jacob S. Differential extrinsic brain network connectivity and social cognitive task-specific demands in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). J Psychiatr Res 2022; 148:230-239. [PMID: 35149435 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.01.066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Few studies have used task-based functional connectivity (FC) magnetic resonance imaging to examine emotion-processing during the critical neurodevelopmental period of adolescence in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). Moreover, task designs with pervasive confounds (e.g., lack of appropriate controls) persist because they activate neural circuits of interest reliably. As an alternative approach to "subtracting" activity from putative control conditions, we propose examining FC across an entire task run. By pivoting our analysis and interpretation of existing paradigms, we may better understand neural response to non-focal instances of socially-relevant stimuli that approximate real-world experiences more closely. Hence, using two well-established affective tasks (face-viewing, face-matching) with diverging social-cognitive demands, we investigated extrinsic FC from amygdala (AMG) and fusiform gyrus (FG) seeds in typically-developing (TD; N = 17) and ASD (N = 17) male adolescents (10-18 yo) and clinical correlations (Social Communication Questionnaire; SCQ) of group FC differences. Participant data (4TD, 6ASD) with excessive head-motion were excluded from final analysis. Direct between-group comparisons revealed significant differences between groups for neural response but not task performance (accuracy, reaction time). During face-viewing, we found greater FC from AMG and FG seeds for ASD participants (ASD > TD) in regions involved in the Default Mode and Fronto-Parietal Task Control Networks. During face-matching, we found greater FC from AMG and FG seeds for TD participants (TD > ASD), in regions associated with the Salience, Dorsal Attention, and Somatosensory Networks. SCQ scores correlated positively with regions with group differences on the face-viewing task and negatively with regions identified for the face-matching task. Task-dependent group differences in FC despite comparable behavioral performance suggest that high-functioning ASD may wield compensatory strategies; clinically-correlated FC patterns may associate with differential task-demands, ecological validity, and context-dependent processing. Employing this novel approach may further the development of targeted therapeutic interventions informed by individual differences in the highly heterogeneous ASD population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Tseng
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
| | - Jazmin Camchong
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
| | - Sunday M Francis
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
| | - Bryon A Mueller
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
| | - Kelvin O Lim
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
| | - Christine A Conelea
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
| | - Suma Jacob
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
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8
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Investigation of Early Literacy Skills in Children on the Autism Spectrum: The Case of Turkish-Speaking Children. J Autism Dev Disord 2022; 53:2395-2408. [DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05456-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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9
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Ali H, Rahman H, Lee LC, Khan NZ, Wu LSF, Mehra S, Mitra M, Labrique AB, West KP, Christian P. Autism spectrum disorder in a rural community in Bangladesh: A mid-childhood assessment. Autism Res 2021; 15:328-339. [PMID: 34874130 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Population-based studies employing standardized diagnostics are needed to determine the burden of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in low-resource settings. A community-based study was conducted among 8-11 year old children in rural, northwestern Bangladesh to establish the prevalence of ASD. A standardized screening and diagnosis protocol was adapted and deployed comprising the social communication questionnaire (SCQ), and the autism diagnostic observation schedule 2, (ADOS-2), and the autism diagnostic interview, revised (ADI-R), respectively. A year-long research training was conducted for a clinical psychologist to be certified to administer ADOS-2 and ADI-R. Over 8000 children were visited at home and administered the SCQ leading to some, based on their score, being further evaluated using the ADOS-2 and ADI-R by the clinical psychologist. Based on ADOS-2 applying the diagnoses of autism or autism spectrum, the prevalence was 40 (95% CI: 27, 54) per 10,000. Autistic disorder using ADI-R was found at 12 (95% CI: 5, 20) per 10,000. Boys were at a higher risk than girls with the rates among boys being 46 (95% CI: 25, 67) using ADOS-2 and 19 (95% CI:6, 33) using ADI-R. Among girls the rates were 34 (95% CI:16, 52) and 5 (95% CI:0, 12) per 10,000, respectively. Challenges to undertaking ASD research in a rural South Asian context are discussed. There was a low-to-moderate prevalence of ASD in a rural, child population in Bangladesh. Future research is needed to estimate rates of ASD and its causes and socioeconomic consequences in rural and urban settings of South Asia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hasmot Ali
- JiVitA Maternal and Child Health & Nutrition Research Project, Gaibandha, Bangladesh
| | - Hafizur Rahman
- JiVitA Maternal and Child Health & Nutrition Research Project, Gaibandha, Bangladesh
| | - Li-Ching Lee
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Naila Z Khan
- Clinical Neurosciences Center, Bangladesh Protibondhi Foundation, Dhaka, Bangladesh.,Bangladesh Institute of Child Health, Dhaka Shishu (Children) Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Lee Shu-Fune Wu
- Department of International Health, Center for Human Nutrition, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Sucheta Mehra
- Department of International Health, Center for Human Nutrition, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Maithilee Mitra
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,School of Medicine, Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR), Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA
| | - Alain B Labrique
- Department of International Health, Center for Human Nutrition, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Keith P West
- Department of International Health, Center for Human Nutrition, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Parul Christian
- Department of International Health, Center for Human Nutrition, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Reyes NM, Moody E, Hightshoe K, Davidon S, Rosenberg S, Dahl E, Kubicek LF. Factors That May Influence Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) Scores: An Examination of the Spanish and English SCQ in School-Aged Students. SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY REVIEW 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/2372966x.2021.1927830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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11
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Finkelman MD, Wei T, Lowe SR. Computer-Based Testing to Shorten the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ): a Proof- of-Principle Study of the Lifetime and Current Forms. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY AND BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10862-020-09853-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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12
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Are Developmental Monitoring and Screening Better Together for Early Autism Identification Across Race and Ethnic Groups? J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 52:203-218. [PMID: 33666797 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-04943-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
National Surveys of Children's Health (NSCH, 2016-2018) data were analyzed to determine if conjoint monitoring and screening showed stronger associations with children under 5 identified with ASD compared to monitoring alone, screening alone or no monitoring or screening; and investigate relationships between monitoring and screening across racial/ethnic subgroups. 86 of 332 children with ASD received their diagnosis in a timeframe suggesting potential monitoring and screening for identification purposes. Analyses showed that conjoint monitoring and screening and monitoring alone, but not screening alone, was associated with early identified ASD cases across race groups. Caution is warranted as interpreting NSCH monitoring and screening items solely for identification purposes is inaccurate in many cases. More research on monitoring with screening is needed.
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13
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Harris JF, Coffield CN, Janvier YM, Mandell D, Cidav Z. Validation of the Developmental Check-In Tool for Low-Literacy Autism Screening. Pediatrics 2021; 147:peds.2019-3659. [PMID: 33303635 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2019-3659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Persistent disparities exist in early identification of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) among children from low-income families who are racial and/or ethnic minorities and where English is not the primary language. Parental literacy and level of maternal education may contribute to disparities. The Developmental Check-In (DCI) is a visually based ASD screening tool created to reduce literacy demands and to be easily administered and scored across settings. In a previous study, the DCI showed acceptable discriminative ability between ASD versus non-ASD in a young, underserved sample at high-risk for ASD. In this study, we tested the DCI among an unselected, general sample of young underserved children. METHODS Six hundred twenty-four children ages 24 to 60 months were recruited through Head Start and Early Head Start. Parents completed the DCI, Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised with Follow-Up, and Social Communication Questionnaire. Children scoring positive on any measure received evaluation for ASD. Those screening negative on both Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised with Follow-Up and Social Communication Questionnaire were considered non-ASD. RESULTS Parents were primarily Hispanic, reported high school education or less, and had public or no insurance. The DCI demonstrated good discriminative power (area under the curve = 0.80), performing well across all age groups, genders, levels of maternal education, primary language, and included ethnic and racial groups. Item-level analyses indicated that 24 of 26 DCI items discriminated ASD from non-ASD. CONCLUSIONS The DCI is a promising ASD screening tool for young, underserved children and may be of particular value in screening for ASD for those with low literacy levels or with limited English proficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill F Harris
- Children's Specialized Hospital, New Brunswick, New Jersey;
| | | | | | - David Mandell
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Zuleyha Cidav
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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14
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Amiri M, Lamballais S, Geenjaar E, Blanken LME, El Marroun H, Tiemeier H, White T. Environment-Wide Association Study (E n WAS) of Prenatal and Perinatal Factors Associated With Autistic Traits: A Population-Based Study. Autism Res 2020; 13:1582-1600. [PMID: 32830427 PMCID: PMC7540497 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2019] [Revised: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
A combination of genetic and environmental factors contributes to the origins of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). While a number of studies have described specific environmental factors associating with emerging ASD, studies that compare and contrast multiple environmental factors in the same study are lacking. Thus, the goal of this study was to perform a prospective, data-driven environmental-wide association study of pre- and perinatal factors associated with the later development of autistic symptoms in childhood. The participants included 3891 6-year-old children from a birth cohort with pre- and perinatal data. Autistic symptoms were measured using the Social Responsiveness Scale in all children. Prior to any analyses, the sample was randomly split into a discovery set (2920) and a test set (921). Multiple linear regression analyses were performed for each of 920 variables, correcting for six of the most common covariates in epidemiological studies. We found 111 different pre- and perinatal factors associated with autistic traits during childhood. In secondary analyses where we controlled for parental psychopathology, 23 variables in the domains of family and interpersonal relationships were associated with the development of autistic symptoms during childhood. In conclusion, a data-driven approach was used to identify a number of pre- and perinatal risk factors associating with higher childhood autistic symptoms. These factors include measures of parental psychopathology and family and interpersonal relationships. These measures could potentially be used for the early identification of those at increased risk to develop ASD. LAY SUMMARY: A combination of genetic and environmental factors contributes to the development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Each environmental factor may affect the risk of ASD. In a study on 6-year-old children, a number of pre- and perinatal risk factors were identified that are associated with autistic symptoms in childhood. These factors include measures of parental psychopathology and family and interpersonal relationships. These variables could potentially serve as markers to identify those at increased risk to develop ASD or autistic symptoms. Autism Res 2020, 13: 1582-1600. © 2020 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masoud Amiri
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sander Lamballais
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Eloy Geenjaar
- Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Laura M E Blanken
- Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Hanan El Marroun
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Psychology, Education & Child Studies, Erasmus School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Henning Tiemeier
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Tonya White
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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15
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Iskrov G, Vasilev G, Mitev M, Nikolova R, Stoykova M, Stefanov R. Practice Patterns for Early Screening and Evaluation for Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis in Bulgaria. J Autism Dev Disord 2019; 51:778-789. [PMID: 31414261 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-019-04170-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The aims of this study were to describe the practice patterns for early screening and evaluation for ASD diagnosis in Bulgaria, as well as to identify potential barriers and facilitators in this process. We surveyed a sample of pediatricians and pediatric psychiatrists to analyze the use of standardized instruments, application of biomarkers, parental collaboration and future policy prospects. We found a significant support for the idea of a national program for ASD in Bulgaria. These insights provide an evidence-based analysis that could help improve services, guide research and inform policies in regard to ASD. Further work is necessary to better understand other stakeholders' opinions and perspectives, especially those of patients and their families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgi Iskrov
- Department of Social Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Public Health, Medical University of Plovdiv, 15 A, Vasil Aprilov Blvd, 4002, Plovdiv, Bulgaria. .,Institute for Rare Diseases, 22, Maestro Georgi Atanasov Str, Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
| | - Georgi Vasilev
- Department of Social Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Public Health, Medical University of Plovdiv, 15 A, Vasil Aprilov Blvd, 4002, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Martin Mitev
- Department of Social Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Public Health, Medical University of Plovdiv, 15 A, Vasil Aprilov Blvd, 4002, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Ralitsa Nikolova
- Department of Social Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Public Health, Medical University of Plovdiv, 15 A, Vasil Aprilov Blvd, 4002, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Mariya Stoykova
- Department of Social Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Public Health, Medical University of Plovdiv, 15 A, Vasil Aprilov Blvd, 4002, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Rumen Stefanov
- Department of Social Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Public Health, Medical University of Plovdiv, 15 A, Vasil Aprilov Blvd, 4002, Plovdiv, Bulgaria.,Institute for Rare Diseases, 22, Maestro Georgi Atanasov Str, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
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16
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Francis SM, Camchong J, Brickman L, Goelkel-Garcia L, Mueller BA, Tseng A, Lim KO, Jacob S. Hypoconnectivity of insular resting-state networks in adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2019; 283:104-112. [PMID: 30594068 PMCID: PMC6901290 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2018.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2018] [Revised: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by deficits in social interaction and communication. The anterior insula (AI) participates in emotional salience detection; and the posterior insula (PI) participates in sensorimotor integration and response selection. Meta-analyses have noted insula-based aberrant connectivity within ASD. Given the observed social impairments in ASD and the role of the insula in social information processing (SIP), investigating functional organization of this structure in ASD is important. We investigated differences in resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) using fMRI in male youths with (N=13; mean=14.6 years; range: 10.2-18.0 years) and without ASD (N=17; mean=14.5 years; range: 10.0-17.5 years). With seed-based FC measures, we compared RSFC in insular networks. Hypoconnectivity was observed in ASD (AI-superior frontal gyrus (SFG); AI-thalamus; PI-inferior parietal lobule (IPL); PI-fusiform gyrus (FG); PI-lentiform nucleus/putamen). Using the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) to assess social functioning, regression analyses yielded negative correlations between SCQ scores and RSFC (AI-SFG; AI-thalamus; PI-FG; PI-IPL). Given the insula's connections to limbic regions, and its role in integrating external sensory stimuli with internal states, atypical activity in this structure may be associated with social deficits characterizing ASD. Our results suggest further investigation of the insula's role in SIP across a continuum of social abilities is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunday M Francis
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Jazmin Camchong
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Laura Brickman
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | | | - Bryon A Mueller
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Angela Tseng
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Kelvin O Lim
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Suma Jacob
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
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