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. 2019 Jan;49(1):349-362.
doi: 10.1007/s10803-018-3767-7.

Development of a Brief Parent-Report Screen for Common Gastrointestinal Disorders in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Affiliations

Development of a Brief Parent-Report Screen for Common Gastrointestinal Disorders in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Kara G Margolis et al. J Autism Dev Disord. 2019 Jan.

Abstract

Gastrointestinal dysfunction in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is common and associated with problem behaviors. This study describes the development of a brief, parent-report screen that relies minimally upon the child's ability to report or localize pain for identifying children with ASD at risk for one of three common gastrointestinal disorders (functional constipation, functional diarrhea, and gastroesophageal reflux disease). In a clinical sample of children with ASD, this 17-item screen identified children having one or more of these disorders with a sensitivity of 84%, specificity of 43%, and a positive predictive value of 67%. If found to be valid in an independent sample of children with ASD, the screen will be useful in both clinical practice and research.

Keywords: Autism; Behavior; Comorbidities; GI; Gastrointestinal; Screen.

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Conflict of interest statement

Compliance with Ethical Standards

Potential conflicts of interest: All authors declare no conflicts of interest

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Item Characteristic Curves and Discriminations for the Four ATN GI Symptoms Inventory Dimensions
Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Item Characteristic Curves and Discriminations for the Four ATN GI Symptoms Inventory Dimensions
Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Item Characteristic Curves and Discriminations for the Four ATN GI Symptoms Inventory Dimensions
Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Item Characteristic Curves and Discriminations for the Four ATN GI Symptoms Inventory Dimensions

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