Ordinal measurement of autistic behavior: A preliminary report

Abstract

Ordinal diagnostic criteria were developed and used to assess the clinical characteristics of 20 autistic children. Subgroups of autistic children were identified and, on the basis of rankings on behavioral measures and performance on standardized tests and indices of school achievement, found to differ with respect to general level of functioning and educational placement. Developmental changes, expected in autistic children over a 12•year period, were reflected in higher rankings, especially for those in less restricted educational placements. Although the ordinal classification of autistic behavior is preliminary and the present results are based on the observation of only 20 children, the inclusion of ordinal criteria was found to promote high levels of diagnostic agreement among therapists and to facilitate the clinical monitoring of autistic children. Beginning with the observations of Kanner (1943) and including the classification schemes of DSM I through DSM Ill-R, the autism diagnosis has been defined dichotomously through the presence or absence of symptoms. Autism, within the first and second DSM editions, was categorized as concurrent with childhood schizophrenia. Significant improvements have since been made in diagnostic criteria, and, in the DSM Ill-R, autism is now classified under the general rubric of pervasive developmental disorder (PDD). Fifty years of clinical research and practice have added substantially to the identification of salient symptomatology and behavioral indicators, relevant family history, and the course and prognosis of autism (Dahl, Cohen,

Animal Models Relevant to Schizophrenia and Autism: Validity and Limitations

“…This is one of the main goals of Crawley's research team which is in the process of designing a set of tasks with face validity for the defining features of autism: deficits in appropriate reciprocal social interactions, deficits in social communication, and high levels of ritualistic repetitive behaviors (Crawley 2004). As underlined by Fisch (2005), some studies using factor or cluster analyses suggest also that three dimensions (cognitive abilities, social function and restrictive interest or activities) are necessary in the assessment and conceptualization of autism (Dihoff et al 1993;Szatmari et al 2002).…”

Syndromes and Epistemology I: Autistic spectrum disorders

“…Therefore, one should not be surprised to find that a single component falls out from the factor analysis. On the other hand, when Dihoff et al [1993] employed six ordinal scales by which to assess autism and performed a cluster analysis, they found that two distinct dimensions emerged: (1) general problem-solving ability; and (2) general social awareness. Szatmari et al [2002] used scores from the VABS and ADI and performed a factor-analytic procedure, from which two dimensions of autism also emerged.…”

Effects of applied voltages on hydroxyapatite coating of titanium by electrophoretic deposition

“…Therefore, one should not be surprised to find that a single component falls out from the factor analysis. On the other hand, when Dihoff et al [1993] employed six ordinal scales by which to assess autism and performed a cluster analysis, they found that two distinct dimensions emerged: (1) general problem‐solving ability; and (2) general social awareness. Szatmari et al [2002] used scores from the VABS and ADI and performed a factor‐analytic procedure, from which two dimensions of autism also emerged.…”