The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Toddler Module: Standardized Severity Scores

Abstract

Standardized calibrated severity scores (CSS) have been created for Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, 2nd edition (ADOS-2) Modules 1-4 as a metric of the relative severity of autism-specific behaviors. Total and domain CSS were created for the Toddler Module to facilitate comparison to other modules. Analyses included 388 children with ASD age 12-30 months and were replicated on 435 repeated assessments from 127 children with ASD. Compared to raw scores, associations between total and domain CSS and participant characteristics were reduced in the original sample. Verbal IQ effects on Social Affect-CSS were not reduced in the replication sample. Toddler Module CSS increases comparability of ADOS-2 scores across modules and allows studies of symptom trajectories to extend to earlier ages.

Figure 1

Original Sample. a Distributions of raw total scores by age/language cells. b Distributions of calibrated severity scores by age/language cells. c Distributions of raw Social Affect scores by age/language cells. d Distributions of calibrated severity Social Affect scores by age/language cells. e Distributions of raw Restricted/Repetitive Behavior scores by age/language cells. f Distributions of calibrated severity Restricted/Repetitive Behavior scores by age/language cells.

Figure 2

Replication Sample. a Distributions of raw total scores by age/language cells. b Distributions of calibrated severity scores by age/language cells. c Distributions of raw Social Affect scores by age/language cells. d Distributions of calibrated severity Social Affect scores by age/language cells. e Distributions of raw Restricted/Repetitive Behavior scores by age/language cells. f Distributions of calibrated severity Restricted/Repetitive Behavior scores by age/language cells.

Figure 3

Case summaries of longitudinal total and domain calibrated severity scores.