Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers: Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation in Spain

Abstract

Early detection and treatment have been shown to be effective in reducing disability severity caused by Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). As Spanish pediatricians have no detection tool, the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) was first translated into and culturally adapted to Spanish. Validity and reliability studies were carried out in two different geographical areas of Spain, where M-CHAT was administered to two different samples, namely: 2,480 high- and low-risk children; and 2,055 low-risk children. The results obtained were similar to those yielded by the original M-CHAT studies. Differences were found in positive predictive value, due to the low ASD frequency observed in this study. M-CHAT is still being studied in a large population-based screening program in Spain.

Early Screening of Autism Spectrum Disorder: Recommendations for Practice and Research

“…Canal-Bedia et al 29 assessed the reliability and predictive validity of a Spanish translation of the M-CHAT in a combined community and at-risk sample in Spain. The PPV in the community sample was 0.19, although this finding may have reflected a relatively low base rate of identified preschoolaged children with the disorder (2.9 in 1000) ( were at sufficiently high risk to be referred directly for diagnostic assessment without the follow-up interview.…”

La detección e intervención tempranas en menores con trastorno del espectro autista

“…Este hecho lleva a la necesidad de dotar al instrumento de cribado de algún recurso de control adicional que permita una mayor precisión antes de recomendar la derivación hacia los servicios especializados de diagnóstico y atención temprana. Haciendo una interpretación más comprensiva de estos valores, igualmente, es crucial considerar la proporción de los casos falsos positivos que, no teniendo TEA, tienen un retraso u otro trastorno del desarrollo y que no han sido previamente detectados (Canal-Bedia et al, 2011). Este tema plantea la cuestión de si es mejor que el programa de cribado vaya dirigido exclusivamente a detectar niños con TEA o a identificar también retrasos evolutivos u otros trastornos del neurodesarrollo en general (Charman y Gotham, 2013).…”

“…como Canal-Bedia y cols. sí aplican la entrevista telefónica siguiendo el protocolo original de aplicación -36 -del M-CHAT (Canal-Bedia et al, 2011;Nygren et al, 2012). Hoy se piensa que, en el caso en que los niños fallan ocho o más ítems del M-CHAT, la entrevista telefónica complementaria podría ser innecesaria (Chlebowski, Robins, Barton y Fein, 2013) y esos niños podrían ser remitidos directamente una evaluación diagnóstica.…”

“…(2009) exploraron varios puntos de corte del SCQ (Oosterling et al, 2009). Así mismo, en el estudio del M-CHAT en España, el análisis exhaustivo de los resultados planteó que se podría reducir el número de falsos positivos si se incrementara el punto de corte a 5 ítems fallados (Canal-Bedia et al, 2011) frente a 3 que se recomiendan en el estudio original (Robins, Fein, Barton y Green, 2001), sin aumentar el número de falsos negativos.…”

Validation of the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised With Follow-up (M-CHAT-R/F)

“…4 However, the median age of diagnosis is after the fourth birthday 2 and even later for children of low socioeconomic status or minority backgrounds. 5 The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) 6 is currently one of the most widely used ASD screening instruments both in the United States and internationally, 7,8 providing an accessible, low-cost 9 option for universal toddler screening. The M-CHAT with Follow-Up (M-CHAT/F) has been shown to have adequate sensitivity and specificity 10,11 ; in a sample of nearly 19 000 toddlers aged 16 to 30 months, 12 54% of children classified as at risk on the basis of the M-CHAT/F were diagnosed with ASD, and 98% of screen-positive cases presented with developmental delay or concerns.…”