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Study protocol for an evaluation of ASDetect - a Mobile application for the early detection of autism
Josephine Barbaro1, Maya Yaari2,3
1Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychology and Public Health. College of Science, Heath & Engineering. La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3086, Australia. j.barbaro@latrobe.edu.au.
Insights
ASDetect, a mobile app based on the Social Attention and Communication Surveillance (SACS) tool, shows promise for early Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) detection. It empowers parents with knowledge of social-communication development, aiding early intervention.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Digital Health
- Autism Spectrum Conditions Research
Background:
- Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) are diagnosable by 24 months, yet timely identification is challenging, especially in low-resource settings.
- The Social Attention and Communication Surveillance (SACS) tool assesses autism behavioral markers in infants (12-24 months).
- ASDetect is a mobile application utilizing SACS to help parents assess their child's likelihood for ASC.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the psychometric properties of the ASDetect application for early ASC detection.
- To assess the acceptability and user experience of ASDetect among parents.
Main Methods:
- Recruitment via social media, health professionals, and word-of-mouth.
- Data collection included demographic questionnaires, user experience surveys, and the Social Responsiveness Scale-2 (SRS-2).
- Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) and thematic analyses were used to evaluate psychometric properties and user experiences.
Main Results:
- ASDetect demonstrates potential as an evidence-based tool for parents.
- The study assessed the application's psychometric properties and user experience.
- Focus groups provided insights into parental user experiences with the app.
Conclusions:
- ASDetect can empower parents with knowledge of social-communication development.
- The app supports parental concerns and communication with health professionals.
- ASDetect has the potential to enhance child and family well-being through early identification and intervention.
Background:
Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) can be reliably diagnosed by 24 months of age. However, despite the well-known benefits of early intervention, there is still a research-practice gap in the timely identification of ASC, particularly in low-resourced settings. The Social Attention and Communication Surveillance (SACS) tool, which assesses behavioural markers of autism between 12 to 24 months of age, has been implemented in Maternal and Child Health (MCH) settings, with excellent psychometric properties. ASDetect is a free mobile application based on the SACS, which is designed to meet the need for an effective, evidence-based tool for parents, to learn about children's early social-communication development and assess their child's 'likelihood' for ASC.
Study Aims:
The primary aim of this study is to evaluate the psychometric properties of ASDetect in the early detection of children with ASC. A secondary aim is to assess ASDetect's acceptability and parental user experience with the application.
Methods:
Families are recruited to download the application and participate in the study via social media, health professionals (e.g., MCH nurses, paediatricians) and word of mouth. All participating caregivers complete a demographic questionnaire, survey regarding their user experience, and the Social Responsiveness Scale-2 (SRS-2), an autism screening questionnaire; they are also invited to participate in focus groups. Children identified at 'high likelihood' for ASC based on the ASDetect results, the SRS-2 or parental and/or professional concerns undergo a formal, gold-standard, diagnostic assessment. Receiver Operating Characteristic analyses will be used to assess psychometric properties of ASDetect. Thematic analyses will be used to explore themes arising in the focus groups to provide insights regarding user experiences with the app. Multiple regression analyses will be carried out to determine the extent to which demographic factors, parental stress and beliefs on health surveillance and child results on ASDetect are associated with the parental user-experience of the application.
Discussion:
With a strong evidence-base and global access, ASDetect has the potential to empower parents by providing them with knowledge of their child's social-communication development, validating and reassuring any parental concerns, and supporting them in communicating with other health professionals, ultimately enhancing child and family outcomes and well-being.
