Abstract
This study examined the potential of the short form of the Quantitative Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (Q-CHAT-10) to identify autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in a high-risk sibling cohort. High-risk (HR; siblings of children diagnosed with ASD) and low-risk (LR; no family history of ASD) toddlers were assessed prospectively at 18 and 24 months of age using the Q-CHAT-10 and underwent blind diagnostic assessment for ASD at 36 months of age. The results indicated that at 18 and 24 months, total score differentiated between HR toddlers subsequently diagnosed with ASD from other HR and LR toddlers. The sensitivity at both time points was acceptable; however, the specificity was below the level recommended for clinical application.
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Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank all the families who participated in the research, as well as the research coordinators at each site. This study was supported by Women & Children’s Health Research Institute (WCHRI), Alberta Innovates-Health Solutions, Brain Canada, Kids Brain Health Network (formerly NeuroDevNet), Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Azrieli Foundation, and Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation Chair in Autism.
Funding
This study was funded by Women & Children’s Health Research Institute (WCHRI), Alberta Innovates-Health Solutions, Brain Canada, Kids Brain Health Network (formerly NeuroDevNet), Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Azrieli Foundation, and Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation Chair in Autism.
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SR made substantial contributions to the conception and design of the paper, analyzed data, and prepared all drafts of the paper. LZ, LRS, SB, JB, IMS, KR, WR, PS, TV, CR, and NG contributed to the conception of the project, provided critical review of the manuscript, and approved the final draft.
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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
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Raza, S., Zwaigenbaum, L., Sacrey, LA.R. et al. Brief Report: Evaluation of the Short Quantitative Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (Q-CHAT-10) as a Brief Screen for Autism Spectrum Disorder in a High-Risk Sibling Cohort. J Autism Dev Disord 49, 2210–2218 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-019-03897-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-019-03897-2