Spanish Cultural Validation of the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised.
Spanish M-CHAT-R/F is ready for routine toddler autism screening in Spain, cutting false positives while catching most ASD cases.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Magán-Maganto et al. (2020) tested the Spanish M-CHAT-R/F. They wanted to know if it catches autism in toddlers as well as the English version.
Parents filled out the 20-question form at regular check-ups. Kids who failed got a follow-up interview.
What they found
The Spanish form was 99 % right when it said "no autism." It caught 79 % of kids who really had autism.
Those numbers match the English tool. Spanish clinics can now use it without worry.
How this fits with other research
Guo et al. (2019) ran the same test in China. Their form caught more kids (96 %) but also called more false alarms. Spanish clinics will see fewer false alarms.
Gabriels et al. (2001) built the first M-CHAT. María’s team shows the newer R/F version still works after tweaks.
Vanvooren et al. (2017) proved the old M-CHAT works in French. María’s study updates that work for the revised form in Spanish.
Why it matters
If you screen toddlers in Spanish, you can now trust the M-CHAT-R/F. Use it at 18-month visits. A fail still needs a full check-up, but you will not send dozens of typical kids for extra tests.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers-revised/follow-up (M-CHAT-R/F) was developed to reduce the number of cases requiring telephone verification. The aim of this study was to validate a Spanish version of the M-CHAT-R/F in the Spanish public health system. The M-CHAT-R/F was translated, culturally adapted, and then administered to 6625 children. Of the 39 positive screening cases, 15 children were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and 24 with non-ASD disorders or delays. The sensitivity was 0.79 and specificity of 0.99. Positive and negative predictive values were 0.39 and 0.99, respectively. These results are similar to the English equivalent, though observed prevalence was lower. This study supports Spanish National Health System policy makers to consider a universal ASD screening program.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2020 · doi:10.1007/s10803-018-3777-5