ASD Screening Measures for High-Ability Youth With ASD: Examining the ASSQ and SRS

Abstract

High-ability youth diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) historically have been neglected within samples validating ASD screening measures, and consensus for what constitutes high ability has not been established. The Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ) and Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) are two common screening tools for ASD used within research and practice settings. We investigated the accuracy of the ASSQ and SRS for ASD identification among a sample of 23 high-ability youth previously diagnosed with ASD. Results suggest both ASSQ and SRS measures inconsistently screened for ASD. The high-ability students with ASD scored significantly lower on the SRS total score and social cognition, communication, and motivation subscales, suggesting potential phenotypic differences among high-ability youth with ASD that could inform assessment and intervention strategies.