Abstract

Background: The Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) is a widely used scale in autism clinical intervention research for the assessment of core symptoms and comorbid emotional and behavioral problems among people with autism. The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Simplified Chinese version of the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (SC-ABC) using a sample of people with autism in a Chinese population.Methods: In total, we enrolled 799 patients aged 1.5–33 years old. We collected data using the SC-ABC (n = 799), Autism Behavior Checklist (n = 743), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Rating Scale-IV (ADHD-RS-IV) (n = 433) and Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) (n = 319). Eighty-four patients were separately assessed with the SC-ABC by two caregivers simultaneously. Forty-four patients were assessed with the SC-ABC again by same caregiver 2 weeks after the first assessment. SC-ABC data from the whole sample were used for confirmatory factor analysis. We evaluated criterion validity using Spearman's correlation coefficient between scores of the SC-ABC and scores of the Autism Behavior Checklist, ADHD-RS-IV and CBCL separately in the whole sample and different age groups. We calculated the intragroup correlation coefficients and Spearman's correlation coefficient for interrater reliability in 84 samples and test-retest reliability in 44 samples. We conducted Cronbach's α for internal consistency.Results: For the SC-ABC, the intragroup correlation coefficients of five subscales and the total score in interrater and test-retest reliability ranged from 0.87 to 0.92 and from 0.93 to 0.97 (all P < 0.01). The Spearman's correlation coefficient of five subscales and the total score in interrater and test-retest reliability ranged from 0.78 to 0.85 and 0.86 to 0.94, respectively (all P < 0.01). Cronbach's α of five subscales and the total score ranged from 0.75 to 0.96 (all P < 0.01). The Spearman's correlation coefficient for criterion validity for the whole sample and different age groups ranged from 0.39 to 0.76 (all P < 0.01). The model fit for the original five factor model was acceptable, with fit indices of SMR = 0.062 and RMSEA = 0.052.Conclusions: The SC-ABC has satisfactory psychometric properties and can be used in the assessment of core symptoms and comorbid emotional and behavioral problems in patients with autism.

Highlights

  • Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder with core symptoms of abnormal functioning in social interaction and communication, and restricted, repetitive behavior [1]

  • This study included 799 patients who were diagnosed with autism according to both the International Classification of Diseases 10th edition and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th edition (DSM-IV) criteria upon attending child and adolescent psychiatrists or higher-level physicians at Peking University Sixth Hospital from April 2008 to November 2019

  • All primary caregivers who interacted with the patient on a daily basis filled out the Simplified Chinese version of the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (SC-ABC)

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Summary

Introduction

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder with core symptoms of abnormal functioning in social interaction and communication, and restricted, repetitive behavior [1]. It is often comorbid with emotional or behavioral problems or mental disorders. In China, ASD results in higher economic burden compared to physical disability and other mental disabilities [5]. Early diagnosis and effective treatment is very important for improving the prognosis of autism and reducing the family and social burdens. The Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) is a widely used scale in autism clinical intervention research for the assessment of core symptoms and comorbid emotional and behavioral problems among people with autism. The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Simplified Chinese version of the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (SC-ABC) using a sample of people with autism in a Chinese population

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