The validity of the Baby and Infant Screen for Children with aUtIsm Traits: Part 1 (BISCUIT: Part 1)

Area of Science:

• Developmental Psychology
• Pediatric Psychiatry
• Clinical Neuroscience

Background:

• Early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is crucial for timely intervention.
• Existing diagnostic tools often require significant time and specialized training.
• There is a need for precise, efficient early screening methods for toddlers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the convergent and divergent validity of the Baby and Infant Screen for Children with Autism Traits (BISCUIT)-Part 1.
• To determine if BISCUIT-Part 1 aligns with other measures of autistic traits and differentiates from unrelated developmental domains.
• To assess the utility of BISCUIT-Part 1 as an early diagnostic tool for ASD in toddlers.

Main Methods:

• A sample of 1,007 toddlers aged 17-37 months were individually assessed.
• Convergent validity was examined using the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) and the Battelle Developmental Inventory, Second Edition (BDI-2) Personal Social domain.
• Divergent validity was assessed by examining correlations with the BDI-2 Adaptive and Motor domains.

Main Results:

• BISCUIT-Part 1 demonstrated good convergent validity with the M-CHAT.
• BISCUIT-Part 1 showed good convergent validity with the Personal Social domain of the BDI-2.
• BISCUIT-Part 1 exhibited small correlations with the BDI-2 Adaptive and Motor domains, supporting divergent validity.

Conclusions:

• The BISCUIT-Part 1 is a valid screening tool for identifying toddlers with traits associated with autism spectrum disorders.
• Its strong convergent and divergent validity suggest it can accurately measure autistic traits while differentiating from other developmental areas.
• BISCUIT-Part 1 shows potential as a precise, time-efficient early diagnostic aid for ASD in young children.