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Factor structure and diagnostic fidelity of the Baby and Infant Screen for Children with aUtIsm Traits-Part 1
Johnny L Matson1, Jessica A Boisjoli, Julie A Hess
1Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, USA.
Insights
The Baby and Infant Screen for Children with Autism Traits-Part 1 (BISCUIT-Part 1) effectively identifies autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms in toddlers. This tool shows promise for early ASD diagnosis in infants and young children.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Pediatric Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Early intervention significantly improves outcomes for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
- There is a critical need for early identification of ASD in young children.
- The Baby and Infant Screen for Children with Autism Traits-Part 1 (BISCUIT-Part 1) is a novel assessment tool for toddlers aged 17-37 months.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the factor structure of the BISCUIT-Part 1 assessment.
- To investigate group differences in BISCUIT-Part 1 factors between children with and without ASD.
- To evaluate the utility of BISCUIT-Part 1 in identifying ASD symptoms in toddlers.
Main Methods:
- An exploratory factor analysis was conducted on data from 1287 participants.
- Participants were enrolled in a state-funded early intervention program for developmental disabilities.
- The BISCUIT-Part 1 was administered to caregivers as part of a comprehensive assessment protocol.
Main Results:
- The factor analysis revealed a three-factor solution aligning with ASD symptom clusters.
- Children diagnosed with ASD scored significantly higher on BISCUIT-Part 1 factors compared to those without an ASD diagnosis.
- The findings support the BISCUIT-Part 1's ability to differentiate between toddlers with and without ASD.
Conclusions:
- The BISCUIT-Part 1 demonstrates potential as a valuable aid for clinicians diagnosing ASD in infants and toddlers.
- This screening tool can assist in the early identification of ASD, facilitating timely intervention.
- Further research may validate BISCUIT-Part 1's role in clinical diagnostic practices for early childhood ASD.
Objective:
Due to the effectiveness of early intervention on the outcome of individuals with ASD, there is a race to identify children with ASD at younger ages. The Baby and Infant Screen for Children with aUtIsm Traits-Part 1 (BISCUIT-Part 1) is a new assessment tool designed to assess symptoms of ASD in children between the ages of 17-37 months. The aim of this study was to identify the factor structure of BISCUIT-Part 1 and investigate group differences with regards to these factors.
Methods:
Participants (n = 1287) were enrolled in a state-funded early intervention programme for children at-risk for a developmental disability. The BISCUIT was administered to a parent or other significant caregiver along with other developmental measures as part of the assessment protocol for the early intervention programme.
Results:
The exploratory factor analysis yielded a three-factor solution consistent with symptom clusters characteristic of ASD. Furthermore, participants diagnosed with ASD exhibited significantly higher scores on the factors of the BISCUIT-Part 1, compared to toddlers without a diagnosis of ASD.
Conclusion:
The BISCUIT-Part 1 shows promise in aiding clinicians in the diagnosis of ASD in infants and toddlers.
