Abstract
Screening instruments for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often generate many false positives. It is argued that these children
may have other developmental difficulties and are also in need of thorough assessment and early intervention. The current
study looked at the predictive validity of positive screens on the Checklist for Early Signs of Developmental Disorders (CESDD)
and the Early Screening of Autistic Traits questionnaire (ESAT) at age 2 towards language, cognitive function, and symptom
severity at age 4. Children who screened positive on the ESAT scored lower for both language and cognitive functioning at
age 4 compared with children who screened negative on the ESAT. Also, the more signs of ASD that were recognized on the CESDD
or ESAT, the lower the scores for language and cognitive functioning at age 4. False positive screens could be differentiated
from true positive screens on the CESDD only in symptom severity score on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS).
It seems that early screeners for ASD also detect children with other developmental disorders and that diagnostic instruments
such as the ADOS are warranted to differentiate between children with ASD and other developmental problems.
may have other developmental difficulties and are also in need of thorough assessment and early intervention. The current
study looked at the predictive validity of positive screens on the Checklist for Early Signs of Developmental Disorders (CESDD)
and the Early Screening of Autistic Traits questionnaire (ESAT) at age 2 towards language, cognitive function, and symptom
severity at age 4. Children who screened positive on the ESAT scored lower for both language and cognitive functioning at
age 4 compared with children who screened negative on the ESAT. Also, the more signs of ASD that were recognized on the CESDD
or ESAT, the lower the scores for language and cognitive functioning at age 4. False positive screens could be differentiated
from true positive screens on the CESDD only in symptom severity score on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS).
It seems that early screeners for ASD also detect children with other developmental disorders and that diagnostic instruments
such as the ADOS are warranted to differentiate between children with ASD and other developmental problems.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Contribution
- Pages 1-11
- DOI 10.1007/s00787-012-0280-y
- Authors
- Mieke Dereu, Research Group Developmental Disorders, Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Henri Dunantlaan 2, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
- Herbert Roeyers, Research Group Developmental Disorders, Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Henri Dunantlaan 2, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
- Ruth Raymaekers, Research Group Developmental Disorders, Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Henri Dunantlaan 2, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
- Mieke Meirsschaut, Research Group Developmental Disorders, Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Henri Dunantlaan 2, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
- Petra Warreyn, Research Group Developmental Disorders, Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Henri Dunantlaan 2, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
- Journal European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
- Online ISSN 1435-165X
- Print ISSN 1018-8827