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European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Published in: European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry 8/2009

01-08-2009 | Original Contribution

When does the Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ) predict autism spectrum disorders in primary school-aged children?

Authors: Marja-Leena Mattila, Katja Jussila, Sanna Kuusikko, Marko Kielinen, Sirkka-Liisa Linna, Hanna Ebeling, Risto Bloigu, Leena Joskitt, David Pauls, Irma Moilanen

Published in: European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry | Issue 8/2009

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Abstract

The aims of this study were, firstly, to study the association between parents’ and teachers’ ratings for the Finnish version of the Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ), secondly, to find out whether the original cut-off scores of the ASSQ identify primary school-aged children with Asperger syndrome (AS) or autism by using the Finnish ASSQ, and thirdly, to evaluate the validity of the ASSQ. Parents and/or teachers of higher-functioning (full-scale intelligence quotient ≥ 50) 8-year-old total population school children (n = 4,408) and 7–12-year-old outpatients with AS/autism (n = 47) completed the Finnish version of the ASSQ. Agreement between informants was slight. In the whole total population, low positive correlation was found between parents’ and teachers’ ratings, while in the sample of high-scoring children the correlation turned out to be negative. A cut-off of 30 for parents’ and teacher's summed score and 22 for teachers’ single score is recommended. A valid cut-off for parents’ single score could not been estimated. The clinicians are reminded that the ASSQ is a screening instrument, not a diagnosing instrument. The importance of using both parents’ and teachers’ ratings for screening in clinical settings is underlined.
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Metadata
Title
When does the Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ) predict autism spectrum disorders in primary school-aged children?
Authors
Marja-Leena Mattila
Katja Jussila
Sanna Kuusikko
Marko Kielinen
Sirkka-Liisa Linna
Hanna Ebeling
Risto Bloigu
Leena Joskitt
David Pauls
Irma Moilanen
Publication date
01-08-2009
Publisher
D. Steinkopff-Verlag
Published in
European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry / Issue 8/2009
Print ISSN: 1018-8827
Electronic ISSN: 1435-165X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-009-0044-5

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