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Screening for Autism in Iranian Preschoolers: Contrasting M-CHAT and a Scale Developed in Iran

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Abstract

Suitable screening instruments for the early diagnosis of autism are not readily available for use with preschoolers in non-Western countries. This study evaluated two tools: M-CHAT which is widely used internationally and one developed in Iran called Hiva. A population sample was recruited of nearly 3000 preschoolers in one Iranian city. Parents self-completed the two tools and children who screened positive were invited for a follow-up interview followed by a diagnostic assessment. The Hiva scale proved to be more efficacious in identifying children with ASD and the resulting prevalence rate was higher than that previously reported for Iranian 5 year olds. The study confirms the need to attune screening tools to the cultural contexts in which they are used.

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Acknowledgments

Our sincere thanks to the following for their assistance in recruiting families: Dr. Faygh Zhiyan (Tamine Ejtemaei Day Clinic); Dr. Fatah Shadoman (Private Pediatrician clinic); Mr. Amir Ghaderi (Behzisti, Mahabad); Norafza Charity Foundation in Mahabad and the head teachers of the preschools and kindergartens who participated in the study. Also to Mrs. Ayshe Varei from Andishe kindergarten who facilitated the test–retest and inter-rater reliability of the Hiva screening scale and staff at the Tamine Ejtemaei Day clinic for their assistance and hospitality. Dr. Zahra Noparast, Mrs Maryam Mohammad Poursaid and Farzaneh Ghanimi from the Department of Rehabilitation of Iran Social Welfare Organization and Ameneh Mahmoodizadeh from Iranian Special Education Organization evaluation and diagnosis department, who helped with the data collection. Finally we are indebted to the all the parents and children who took part in the study.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Informed consent

This study does not contain identifiable patient data. All participants gave informed consent for their participation in the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Nursing and Health Research, University of Ulster, Newtownabbey, BT37 0QB, Northern Ireland, UK

    Sayyed Ali Samadi & Roy McConkey

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  1. Sayyed Ali Samadi
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  2. Roy McConkey
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Correspondence to Roy McConkey.

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Samadi, S.A., McConkey, R. Screening for Autism in Iranian Preschoolers: Contrasting M-CHAT and a Scale Developed in Iran. J Autism Dev Disord 45, 2908–2916 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-015-2454-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-015-2454-1

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