The Impact of Using Standardized Autism Screening on Referral to Specialist Evaluation for Young Children on the Autism Spectrum: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

We tested whether the implementation of standardized, high-fidelity screening for autism during routine well-child check-ups results in the following: increasing the number of children with suspected autism referred to diagnostic evaluation; lowering the age at which they are referred; and facilitating autism diagnosis for children across a more diverse range of demographic backgrounds and clinical presentations, including those with subtle manifestations.

Method

As part of a multisite cluster randomized trial, pediatric practices were randomly assigned to an experimental condition involving training and supervision in the universal, standardized, high-fidelity implementation of the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised with Follow-Up (M-CHAT-R/F), or

SUBMITTER: Vivanti G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11997158 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature