Brief Report: Using the Social Communication Questionnaire to Identify Young People Residing in Secure Children's Homes with Symptom Complexes Compatible with Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

Researchers gave the Social Communication Questionnaire to 113 teens living in English secure children's homes. These are locked facilities for youth who broke the law or pose high risk.

Staff read each question aloud and wrote down the teen's answers. A score of 15 or higher flagged possible autism traits.

Fifteen kids, or 13.3 percent, scored above the cut-off. This is roughly one in every eight residents.

None of these youth had a prior autism diagnosis, so the screen caught cases that had been missed.

Posserud et al. (2009) tested the same questionnaire in ordinary elementary schools. They saw far fewer positive screens, showing the tool works but yields more hits in high-risk settings like secure care.

Jutley-Neilson et al. (2013) also used the SCQ, yet warned that visual impairment can inflate scores. The secure-home sample had no such eye issues, so their high rate is less likely to be a false signal.

Amaral et al. (2017) found that kids with Down syndrome who screen positive show milder social deficits than typical ASD. Likewise, secure-home youth may show a unique mix of traits, so full clinical judgment is still needed after the screen.

If you work in juvenile justice, mental-health, or residential settings, add the 10-minute SCQ to your intake packet. One positive screen does not equal autism, but it tells you to refer for a full evaluation. Catching ASD early can open doors to communication supports, sensory plans, and specialized education that reduce future incidents and length of stay.