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. 2010 Jul;40(7):787-99.
doi: 10.1007/s10803-009-0926-x.

Using the childhood autism rating scale to diagnose autism spectrum disorders

Colby Chlebowski  1 , James A Green, Marianne L Barton, Deborah Fein
Affiliations

Using the childhood autism rating scale to diagnose autism spectrum disorders

Colby Chlebowski et al. J Autism Dev Disord. 2010 Jul.

Abstract

This study investigated the childhood autism rating scale (CARS) as a tool for ASD diagnoses for 2-year-old (n = 376) and 4-year-old (n = 230) children referred for possible autism. The cut-off score to distinguish autistic disorder from PDD-NOS was 32 in the 2-year-old sample (consistent with Lord in J Child Psychol Psychiatry Allied Discipl, 36, 1365-1382, 1995), and 30 in the 4-year-old sample, with good sensitivity and specificity at both ages. The cut-off score to distinguish ASD from non-ASD at both ages was 25.5, with good sensitivity and specificity. Results confirm the utility of the CARS in distinguishing autistic disorder from PDD-NOS, and distinguishing ASD from other developmental disorders and typical development and suggest that an ASD cutoff around 25, which is in common clinical use, is valid.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
ROC curves for cutoffs for an autistic disorder diagnosis in both age samples
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
ROC curves for cutoffs for an ASD diagnosis in both age samples
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