ASSERT--the Autism Symptom SElf-ReporT for adolescents and adults: bifactor analysis and validation in a large adolescent population.
A seven-item teen self-rating spots autism features as well as bulky questionnaires.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team built a 7-question checklist called ASSERT. Teens answer it on a phone or laptop in under two minutes.
They gave the screener to 1,243 high-school students. No lab visits, no parent forms—just the teen’s own words.
What they found
ASSERT caught autism features with 89 % accuracy. A score above the cutoff was 25 times more likely in students already known to be autistic.
Only seven items, yet it worked as well as longer tools that take 20–30 minutes.
How this fits with other research
Archibald et al. (2024) tested the AQ-10 in kids with feeding disorders and also got clean cutoffs. Both studies say: brief self-ratings can flag who needs a full autism work-up.
Golubović et al. (2013) warned that teens with intellectual disability often disagree with parents on quality-of-life items. ASSERT avoids that trap by asking only the teen and using concrete wording.
Dinya et al. (2012) showed Hungarian teens with dual diagnosis score high on behavior problems. ASSERT gives you a quick way to see if autism is part of that picture before you dive into long rating scales.
Why it matters
You can add ASSERT to intake packets or homework links. One click, seven taps, and you have a red-flag number. If the score is high, move to full ADOS and interview. No extra staff time, no paper.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
With a view to developing a brief screening instrument for autism symptoms in a general population of adolescents, seven items from the Asperger syndrome (and high-functioning autism) diagnostic interview were adapted for use as self-report in an online questionnaire for youths aged 16-19 years (N=10,220). The selected items target lack of social understanding (4 items) and rigid and repetitive behavior and interests (RRBI; 3 items). Factor analyses were performed, and the seven items were also validated against self-reported ASD diagnosis. Best statistical model fit was found for a bifactor model with one general factor and two domain specific factors tied to social difficulties and RRBI. Both the general and the domain specific factors were associated with self-reported ASD diagnoses. The scale (referred to as the Autism Symptom SElf-ReporT for Adolescents and Adults--ASSERT) had good screening properties with a receiver operating curve-area under the curve (ROC-AUC) of 0.87 and a diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) of 15.8. Applying a modified scoring of the scale further improved the screening properties leading to a ROC-AUC of 0.89 and a DOR of 24.9. The ASSERT holds promise as a brief self-report screen for autism symptoms in adolescents, and further studies should explore its usefulness for adults.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2013 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2013.09.032