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Adaptation, Content Validity and Reliability of the Autism Classification System of Functioning for Social Communication: From Toddlerhood to Adolescent-Aged Children with Autism

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Abstract

The Autism Classification System of Functioning: Social Communication (ACSF) describes social communication functioning levels. First developed for preschoolers with ASD, this study tests an expanded age range (2-to-18 years). The ACFS rates the child’s typical and best (i.e., capacity) performance. Qualitative methods tested parent and clinician perspectives of the ACSF age expansion using content analysis. The ACSF was used twice by parents and professionals for the same child/youth. Reliabilities were assessed using weighted kappa. Content validity supported the ACSF’s applicability, clarity, and usability. The ACSF adaptations did not change its original construct. Reliability were calculated from 90 parent and professional Time-1 and Time-2 ratings for children/youth (2.1–15.6 years). Results showed good-to-very good intra-rater agreement (typical) and good inter-rater agreement (capacity).

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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 Science Organization 2018–2020 (to PR and BDR). We thank all the families and clinical sites that participated in the study. We would also like to thank the support in the early stages of this work from occupational therapy students (at the time) Chelsea Breckels, Natalie Istanboulian, Courtney McKeracher, and Katarina Schwabe.

Funding

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 BDR and PR).

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Authors and Affiliations

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

    Briano Di Rezze, Hanna Fang, Diana Tajik-Parvinchi & Helena Viveiros

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

    Stephen James Gentles

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

    Mary Jo Cooley Hidecker

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

    Lonnie Zwaigenbaum

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

    Peter Rosenbaum

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

    Eric Duku

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

    Stelios Georgiades

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

    Caroline Roncadin

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  1. Briano Di Rezze
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Contributions

BDR: conceptualized and designed the study, analyzed the data, interpreted the data and results, as well as drafted and edited the article. SJG: conceptualized the qualitative analysis for the content validity phase, interpreted the data, interpreted results and critically revised the article. MJCH, LZ and PR: contributed to the design of the study, data analysis, interpretation of results and critically revised the article. ED: contributed to the design, analysis and interpretation of the reliability phase of the study, as well as critically revised the article. SG: contributed to the analysis and interpretation of the reliability phase of the study, as well as critically revised the article. CR: contributed to data acquisition, interpretation of results and critically revised the article. HF: contributed to data acquisition, edited and formatted the manuscript. DP: contributed to the writing and editing of the manuscript. HV: contributed to data acquisition, and edited the manuscript. All authors approved the final version for publication.

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Correspondence to Briano Di Rezze.

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The authors have no relevant financial interests to disclose. All authors certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest or non-financial interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript. The authors have no financial or proprietary interests in any material discussed in this article.

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Di Rezze, B., Gentles, S.J., Hidecker, M.J.C. et al. Adaptation, Content Validity and Reliability of the Autism Classification System of Functioning for Social Communication: From Toddlerhood to Adolescent-Aged Children with Autism. J Autism Dev Disord 52, 5150–5161 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-022-05621-z

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