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Construct Validity of the Autism Classification System of Functioning: Social Communication (ACSF:SC) Across Childhood and Adolescence

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Abstract

This study examined the construct validity of the Autism Classification System of Functioning: Social Communication (ACSF). Participants included 145 parents of children with autism (2–19 years). The degree of convergent and discriminant validity between parent reported ACSF and subscales from Social Responsiveness Scale 2nd edition and Behavior Assessment System for Children, 3rd Edition were examined against a priori hypotheses. We examined construct validity in the entire sample as well as in specific age cohorts. Our findings suggest that ACSF can provide a valid classification system of social communication ability in children with autism 2–19 years of age, and its two subscales may be used to examine different aspects of social communication ability.

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Acknowledgements

Funding support was provided by the Hamilton Health Sciences New Investigator Fund 2019 (to BDR), Hamilton Health Sciences Early Career Award 2018–2020 (to BDR), and Hamilton Academic Health Sciences Organization 2018–2020 (to PR and BDR).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research, School of Rehabilitation Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, 1400 Main Street West, Room 436, L8S 1C7, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    Diana Tajik-Parvinchi, Hanna Fang & Briano Di Rezze

  2. Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, 1400 Main Street West, Room 408, L8S 1C7, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

    Peter Rosenbaum

  3. Department of Communication Science & Disorders, College of Health Sciences, University of Kentucky, 900 South Limestone, 40508, Lexington, KY, USA

    Mary Jo Cooley Hidecker

  4. Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences, Faulty of Health Sciences, 1280 Main Street West, L8S 4L8, McMaster, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

    Eric Duku

  5. Autism Research Center, Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, Room E209, 10230 111 Avenue, T5G 0B7, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

    Lonnie Zwaigenbaum

  6. Ron Joyce Children’s Health Centre, Hamilton Health Sciences, 325 Wellington Street North, L8L 0A4, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

    Caroline Roncadin

  7. Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, MIP 201A, L8P 0A1, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

    Stelios Georgiades

  8. Department of Community Health, Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, Wilfrid Laurier University, 75 University Avenue West, N2L 3C5, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

    Stephen Gentles

  9. School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Applied Health Sciences, McMaster University, Room 436, 1400 Main St. W, L8S 1C7, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    Diana Tajik-Parvinchi

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  1. Diana Tajik-Parvinchi
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  2. Peter Rosenbaum
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  3. Mary Jo Cooley Hidecker
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  4. Eric Duku
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  7. Stelios Georgiades
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  8. Stephen Gentles
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  9. Hanna Fang
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  10. Briano Di Rezze
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Correspondence to Diana Tajik-Parvinchi.

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Tajik-Parvinchi, D., Rosenbaum, P., Hidecker, M.J.C. et al. Construct Validity of the Autism Classification System of Functioning: Social Communication (ACSF:SC) Across Childhood and Adolescence. J Autism Dev Disord 53, 3246–3256 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-022-05608-w

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