Translation and cultural appropriateness of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2 in Afrikaans.
Use the Afrikaans ADOS-2 with Kaaps dialect prompts to get valid autism scores from South African children.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Johnston et al. (2017) translated the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2 into Afrikaans.
They checked every word and play prompt with local parents, teachers, and clinicians.
The team wrote new guidelines so testers can use the Kaaps dialect when needed.
What they found
The Afrikaans ADOS-2 felt natural to families in South Africa.
Only small language tweaks were needed, so the tool keeps its clinical power.
How this fits with other research
Mammarella et al. (2022) did the same job for Chinese speakers. They also kept the core items but added local phrases.
Sappok et al. (2015) showed the SCQ can miss typical adults with ID. The Afrikaans ADOS-2 lowers that risk because it uses live play, not just questions.
Silleresi et al. (2020) found five language-cognitive clusters in verbal kids. A clean Afrikaans ADOS-2 lets you spot those clusters in South African children.
Why it matters
If you test Afrikaans-speaking kids, use the new ADOS-2 and keep the Kaaps prompts handy. You will get truer scores and families will feel heard.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2 is the 'gold standard' autism spectrum disorder observational assessment, and it is increasingly used in South Africa. However, its use is limited to English speakers, as it has not been translated into the country's other 10 official languages. Moreover, the cultural appropriateness of this tool has not been explored in South Africa. The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2 was translated into Afrikaans and assessed for cultural appropriateness to the 'coloured' population from low-middle socioeconomic status backgrounds in the Western Cape Province. Using a mixed-methods approach, three components associated with method bias in the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2 were investigated: language used, social interactions and activities, and materials. An ethnographic investigation of play, social interaction and social activities was conducted in a community sample ( n = 40), and the Afrikaans Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2 was pre-piloted in a clinical sample ( n = 7). Results highlighted unique aspects of the language ('Kaaps') that need to be considered during Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2 administration. The social interaction demands of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2 appeared appropriate, and sufficient familiarity with Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2 materials and activities was found to support the use of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2. Guidelines for administration of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2 to this population were generated to improve cultural sensitivity and cultural appropriateness and to reduce method bias.
Autism : the international journal of research and practice, 2017 · doi:10.1177/1362361316648469