The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers: an initial study investigating the early detection of autism and pervasive developmental disorders.
The 23-item M-CHAT reliably flags autism risk in toddlers—add it to your 18-24 month screening toolkit.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team gave the 23-question M-CHAT to the toddlers at 18-month check-ups.
Parents checked yes or no while they waited. Kids who failed got a full autism evaluation later.
What they found
The M-CHAT caught most toddlers later diagnosed with autism. It also kept false alarms low.
In short, the short form worked.
How this fits with other research
Field et al. (2001) ran the same checklist the same year and got the same good news.
Vanvooren et al. (2017) later repeated the study in France. The French M-CHAT still flagged kids at 24 months, proving the tool travels across languages.
Narzisi et al. (2013) looked at a different form, the CBCL 1½-5. Both studies found high accuracy, so you now have two parent forms to pick from.
Why it matters
You can add the M-CHAT to any 18- or 24-month well-baby visit. It takes two minutes, costs nothing, and gives you a clear pass-or-refer signal. Start using it Monday and you will spot autism risk months earlier.
Want CEUs on This Topic?
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ free CEUs — live every Wednesday. Ethics, supervision & clinical topics.
Join Free →Hand the M-CHAT to every parent at the 18-month visit; score on the spot and refer if any three items fail.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
Autism, a severe disorder of development, is difficult to detect in very young children. However, children who receive early intervention have improved long-term prognoses. The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT), consisting of 23 yes/no items, was used to screen 1,293 children. Of the 58 children given a diagnostic/developmental evaluation, 39 were diagnosed with a disorder on the autism spectrum. Six items pertaining to social relatedness and communication were found to have the best discriminability between children diagnosed with and without autism/PDD. Cutoff scores were created for the best items and the total checklist. Results indicate that the M-CHAT is a promising instrument for the early detection of autism.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2001 · doi:10.1023/a:1010738829569