ERIC Number: EJ943583
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011-Sep
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1362-3613
EISSN: N/A
Validity of "DSM-IV" Syndromes in Preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Lecavalier, Luc; Gadow, Kenneth D.; Devincent, Carla J.; Houts, Carrie R.; Edwards, Michael C.
Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice, v15 n5 p527-543 Sep 2011
Behavior and emotional problems are often present in very young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) but their nosology has been the object of scant empirical attention. The objective of this study was to assess the construct validity of select "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" ("DSM)"--defined syndromes (ADHD, ODD, Mood disorder) in preschoolers with ASD (N = 229). Parents and teachers completed the Early Childhood Inventory--4, a behavior rating scale based on the "DSM-IV," and ratings were submitted to confirmatory factor analysis. Results generally supported the "DSM" nosology in this population. There was some evidence that parent ratings were associated with better fit indices (e.g. RSMEA = 0.062) than teachers (e.g. RMSEA = 0.083). For both raters, fit indices appeared to improve when the ADHD factor was broken into its constituent parts. However, hyperactivity symptoms accounted for little unique additional variance in the model. Findings lend support to the "DSM" as a conceptual model for behavioral syndromes in preschoolers with ASDs and also reinforce the importance of source-specificity when considering psychiatric disorders in children with ASDs. (Contains 4 tables and 1 figure.)
Descriptors: Construct Validity, Preschool Children, Autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Mental Disorders, Child Behavior, Behavior Problems, Rating Scales, Factor Analysis, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Goodness of Fit, Hyperactivity, Parents, Teachers, Symptoms (Individual Disorders), Severity (of Disability)
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: New York
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A