Systematic Review of Tools to Measure Outcomes for Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Health Technology Assessment
McConachie, H., Parr, J. R., et al. (2015).
Health Technology Assessment, 19(41), 1-506.
This scoping review investigates the validity of outcome measurement tools for monitoring development in young children, birth to 6-years-old, on the autism spectrum.
National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme (United Kingdom)
Multiple iterative searches, latest search through November 2013
Randomized controlled trials; quasi-randomized trials; cross-sectional studies; case-control studies; descriptive cohort studies
128 in systematic review of measurement properties
The content validity of 57 outcome measurement tools was strong; however, there was minimal evidence of the tools' capacity to track outcomes of an intervention or progress over time. There was limited evidence for the measurement properties of standardized assessments and questionnaires that were developed for the general population, but applied to young children on the autism spectrum.
The Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS) was recognized as the most extensively used tool for global measure of function, but little evidence was available for measurement properties in use with young children on the autism spectrum.
<p>The MeASURe review process identified 12 tools with a preponderance of positive evidence for three or more measurement properties (e.g., reliability, validity, responsiveness) from multiple studies. The level of burden (i.e., time, training, and cost required) was not considered. These measures included:</p>
<ul>
<li>Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS);</li>
<li>Baby and Infant Screen for Children with aUtIsm Traits-Part 2 (BISCUIT);</li>
<li>Behavior Summarized Evaluation-Revised;</li>
<li>Child Behavior Checklist;</li>
<li>Childhood Autism Rating Scale;</li>
<li>Home Situations Questionnaire-Pervasive Development Disorders version;</li>
<li>MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory;</li>
<li>Parenting Stress Index;</li>
<li>Pervasive Developmental Disorders Behavior Inventory;</li>
<li>Preschool Imitation and Praxis Scale (PIPS);</li>
<li>Psychoeducational Profile; and</li>
<li>Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS).</li>
</ul>
The majority of the tools identified (75/132; 57%) had no evidence that met the inclusion criteria of this review so their applicability for children on the autism spectrum could not be determined.
There was a lack of tools that could be measured with masked assessors (not knowing which child was receiving the intervention), capture social communication skills, and be suitable for children on the autism spectrum up to six years of age.
