Screening for autism in infants and preschool children with developmental delay
1Monash University, Centre for Developmental Psychiatry and Psychology, Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Monash Medical Centre, 246 Clayton Road, Clayton Victoria 3168, Australia. kylie.gray@med.monash.edu.au
Objective:
This study aimed to identify emotional and behavioural problems specific to young children with autism using the Developmental Behaviour Checklist (DBC-P) and thus evaluate the efficacy of this checklist as a screening tool for autism in children with developmental delay aged 18-48 months.
Method:
Subjects were 60 children with autism and developmental delay and 60 children with developmental delay without autism.
Results:
Features were identified which differentiated the children with autism from those with developmental delay without autism. Analyses revealed that a 17-item version of the DBC-P performed well as a screening tool for autism, with an 'area under the curve' of 0.874, sensitivity of 0.8750, and specificity of 0.6909.
Conclusions:
The DBC-P offers a potential simple and inexpensive method of screening at risk populations of preschool children with developmental delay for autism, thus facilitating timely referral to scarce specialist autism diagnostic services.
Related Concept Videos
Autism Spectrum Disorder
These core symptoms manifest differently among individuals, ranging from mild to severe. The disorder's complexity extends beyond its clinical presentation, encompassing a diverse range of biological, cognitive, and sociocultural influences.
Intellectual Disability
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Diagnostic Criteria and Symptoms
To diagnose ADHD, symptoms must manifest before age 12 and be evident across multiple settings.

