Psychometric Evaluation of the Autism Spectrum Rating Scales (6–18 Years Parent Report) in a Clinical Sample

Abstract

ASD is a neurodevelopmental disorder impacting 1 in 44 children and early identification of children with ASD is critical for the intervention. Several screening measures have been developed for early identification, including the Autism Spectrum Rating Scales, 6–18 years Parent Report (ASRS). The ASRS has been understudied, and the current study assessed the validity of the ASRS in a clinical sample of 490 children at a tertiary ASD-specialty clinic. Results indicated that the ASRS demonstrated favorable sensitivity, but poor specificity. True positive screening results were more likely to occur for children with a multiracial background, while they were less likely to occur for children with a high social capital. Overall, though the ASRS has clinical utility as a screening measure, it did not perform effectively to differentiate ASD from Non-ASD clinical disorders.