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. 2020 Dec 31:16:204-211.
doi: 10.2174/1745017902016010204. eCollection 2020.

Defining the Optimal Threshold Scores for Adult Autism Subthreshold Spectrum (AdAS Spectrum) in Clinical and General Population

Liliana Dell'Osso  1 , Claudia Carmassi  1 , Ivan Mirko Cremone  1 , Dario Muti  1 , Antonio Salerni  1 , Filippo Maria Barberi  1 , Enrico Massimetti  1 , Camilla Gesi  1 , Pierluigi Politi  2 , Eugenio Aguglia  3 , Mario Maj  4 , Barbara Carpita  1
Affiliations

Defining the Optimal Threshold Scores for Adult Autism Subthreshold Spectrum (AdAS Spectrum) in Clinical and General Population

Liliana Dell'Osso et al. Clin Pract Epidemiol Ment Health. .

Abstract

Background: The Adult Autism Subthreshold Spectrum (AdAS Spectrum) is a recently developed instrument tailored to assess the broad range of full-threshold as well as sub-threshold manifestations related to the autism spectrum. Although it has proved to be a valuable instrument for quantitative assessment of autistic symptoms, the AdAS Spectrum still lacks validated diagnostic thresholds.

Objective: The aim of this study was to define the best cut-off scores of the AdAS Spectrum for determining the presence of subthreshold autistic traits as well as a clinically significant autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Methods: Our sample was composed of 39 patients with full-blown ASD, 73 subjects with autistic traits, and 150 healthy controls. Subjects were evaluated by trained psychiatrists, who performed a clinical diagnosis according to DSM-5 and then assessed with the AdAS Spectrum and the Autism Spectrum Quotient.

Results: Our results showed that the most discriminant cut-off scores were 70 for identifying subjects with full-blown ASD, and 43 for determining the presence of significant autistic traits.

Conclusion: The threshold values proposed here showed satisfying levels of specificity and sensibility, as well as a good agreement with the diagnosis according to DSM-5 criteria, confirming the validity of the AdAS Spectrum as a psychometric tool for measuring ASD-related conditions in the clinical and general population.

Keywords: AdAS Spectrum; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Autistic traits; Diagnostic threshold; Psychometric instrument; RAADS.

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Figures

Fig. (1)
Fig. (1)
ROC curve of the AdAS Spectrum threshold score for determining ASD. AUC = 0.971; threshold score = 70.
Fig. (2)
Fig. (2)
ROC curve of the AdAS Spectrum threshold score for determining autistic traits. AUC = 0.927; threshold score = 43.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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