Reliability and validity of autism diagnostic interview-revised, Japanese version

Area of Science:

• Psychometrics
• Developmental Psychology
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• The Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) is a widely used diagnostic tool for autism spectrum disorder.
• A Japanese version (ADI-R-JV) is needed to assess ASD in Japanese populations.
• Evaluating the reliability and validity of the ADI-R-JV is crucial for its clinical application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the inter-rater reliability of the ADI-R-JV.
• To assess the discriminant validity of the ADI-R-JV.
• To evaluate the diagnostic validity (sensitivity and specificity) of the ADI-R-JV for autistic disorder (AD).

Main Methods:

• Inter-rater reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) in 51 individuals (aged 3-19).
• Discriminant and diagnostic validity were evaluated in 317 individuals (aged 2-19) across three diagnostic groups: AD, PDD-NOS, and other/no diagnosis.
• Statistical analyses included ICCs and calculation of sensitivity and specificity.

Main Results:

• High inter-rater reliability (ICCs > 0.80) was found across all ADI-R-JV domains.
• The ADI-R-JV showed significant discriminant validity, with higher scores in the AD group compared to other groups.
• Overall diagnostic validity for AD was satisfactory (sensitivity=0.92, specificity=0.89), but sensitivity decreased significantly for individuals under 5 years (0.55).

Conclusions:

• The ADI-R-JV is a reliable instrument with sufficient discriminant validity for diagnosing autistic disorder.
• The tool demonstrates satisfactory diagnostic validity, though caution is advised for diagnosing younger children due to reduced sensitivity.
• Further research may be needed to refine the ADI-R-JV for use in very young children.