Short caregiver interview and play observation for early screening of autism spectrum disorder: Behavior development screening for toddlers (BeDevel)

Abstract

This study validates behavior development screening for toddlers (BeDevel), which utilizes a combination of short caregiver interviews (BeDevel-I) and semistructured play observations (BeDevel-P). The data of 431 toddlers (male 66.2%; mean age (SD) = 29.11 (8.59) months; ASD, n = 201; developmental delay, n = 46; typically developing, n = 184), aged 18~42 months, were included in the validation of BeDevel. The best clinical estimate diagnosis, screening rate, validity, sensitivity, and reliability of BeDevel were determined based on data cross-sectionally collected using BeDevel and existing diagnostic/screening instruments: autism diagnostic observation schedule (ADOS), autism diagnostic interview (ADI-R), Vineland adaptive behavior scales-II (VABS-II), social response scales (SRS), sequenced language scale for infants (SELSI), Korean childhood autism rating scale (K-CARS), and Korean social communication questionnaire (K-SCQ). The k values of BeDevel-I and BeDevel-P were 0.055~0.732 and 0.291~0.752, respectively. Items related to social referencing in BeDevel-P had a particularly high diagnostic validity (k = 0.483~0.684). Reliabilities of BeDevel-I and BeDevel-P were sufficient (Cronbach's alpha = 0.86~0.88 and 0.92~0.

Is autism stigma higher in South Korea than the United States? Examining cultural tightness, intergroup bias, and concerns about heredity as contributors to heightened autism stigma

“…the perceptiveness and instinctive sense to read, understand, and follow social rules) in Korean society (e.g. Bong et al, 2021; Mac Cárthaigh & Lopez, 2020), which may be associated with cultural tightness and may contribute to high autism stigma in South Korea. We suggest that interventions that emphasize diverse ways of being and the fact that social appropriateness is contextually defined rather than absolute may reduce autism stigma in South Korea.…”

Diagnosis and Assessment of Autism Spectrum Disorder in South Korea

“…Screening tools should not be used as a solitary tool for ruling-out ASD. Screening tools available in Korea include the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (MCHAT) [ 6 ], Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) [ 7 ], Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) [ 8 ], and Behavior Development Screening for Toddlers (BeDevel) [ 9 ]. The purpose and age of testing, completion time should be considered when selecting screening tools ( Supplementary Table 1 in the online-only Data Supplement) [ 6 - 8 , 10 - 13 ].…”

“…Genetic disorders known to be associated with ASD are presented in Supplementary Table 3 (in the online-only Data Supplement). Genetic testing can 1) predict physical complications related to genetic disorders beforehand, 2) provide counseling on the anticipated risk of recurrence of the same disorder within the family, 3) provide psychological support to the family by explaining the cause of the disorder, and 4) prevent unnecessary additional tests through confirmatory diagnosis [ 9 ].…”