The Gestalt of functioning in autism revisited: First revision of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Core Sets
Use the new age-specific ICF Core Sets to catch sensory issues and track the skills that matter for adult independence.
01Research in Context
What this study did
A global team of autism experts updated the ICF Core Sets for autism. These are checklists that map how autism affects daily life.
They added new items about sensory processing and split the sets by age: kids, teens, and adults.
The work used expert panels and real-world data, not lab tests.
What they found
The new sets now list 111 items for adults, 97 for teens, and 92 for kids.
Sensory issues like light sensitivity and food texture aversion are now front and center.
Each age group has its own version, so you can pick the right list for your client.
How this fits with other research
Whitehouse et al. (2014) showed that most adults with autism struggle with community living. The new adult ICF set now tracks the exact skills that paper flagged as weak.
Mulder et al. (2020) trimmed invalid items from autism screeners. Klein et al. (2024) did the same thing, but for the ICF Core Sets.
Tarasova et al. (2024) proved the German DSQIID works for dementia screening. Our new ICF sets borrow that same validation spirit to make sure every item matters.
Why it matters
Switch to the new age-specific ICF Core Sets in your next assessment. You will capture sensory issues that the old forms missed and track the life skills that predict adult independence.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
<h4>Lay abstract</h4>Autistic people experience individual strengths and challenges as well as barriers and facilitators in their environment. All of these factors contribute to how well autistic people can cope in everyday life, fulfill the roles they choose, and meet their needs. The World Health Organization has developed a system aiming to capture the many factors within people (like how someone thinks and feels) and outside of people (things around a person) that influence their daily living, called the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health can be used for different purposes in research and practice to assess people's situations and plan support measures. Previously in 2019, the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health was adapted to autism by developing so-called Core Sets, which are shorter International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health versions for use in specific conditions. Here, we present the first revisions of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Core Sets for autism, based on research, development results, and community feedback. Some factors influencing daily life for autistic people were added to the Core Sets, and other factors deemed less relevant were removed. Changes were also made in Core Sets designed for different age groups (0-5, 6-16, and ⩾17 years). Particularly, contents for sensory processing (like smell, touch, seeing, hearing) were added. We recommend these updated Core Sets for future use in autism research and practice. These changes to the Core Sets after 4 years indicate that there should be ongoing updates based on research and experience from practice and involvement of stakeholders.
, 2024 · doi:10.1177/13623613241228896