Reliability and validity of the Pervasive Developmental Disorders Assessment System

Abstract

Aim: To test the reliability and validity of the Pervasive Developmental Disorders Assessment System (PDDAS), a Japanese semistructured interview system. Methods:The PDDAS, consisting of 91 items including 12 major items corresponding to 12 items in criterion A of DSM-IV autistic disorder criteria, 36 items on autistic symptoms and three Asperger's disorder (AS) screening items for diagnosing pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) and their subtypes and 40 items for other information including early development and past/family histories, was administered to mothers of 77 PDD children and 64 non-PDD children. Results:The PDDAS had satisfactory interrater reliability (ranges of k, r and raw agreement rate were 0.69-1.00 in 76 items, 1.00 in 11 items and 0.91-1.00 in four k un-calculable items, respectively). Thirty-three of the 36 items and all of the 12 major items scored significantly higher in the PDD than non-PDD groups to show satisfactory discriminant validity. PDDAS and consensus DSM-IV diagnoses agreed in the 77 children in PDD diagnosis and disagreed in only two children in subtype diagnoses of autistic disorder and PDD not otherwise specified. Conclusions:The PDDAS, which takes 1.5 h to administer, seems to have clinical and research utility, although further investigation is necessary.

Oxytocin, sexually dimorphic features of the social brain, and autism

“…Fifteen years ago the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or PDD was reported at 30 per 10 000, but a recent study put it at approximately 60 per 10 000 2 . This change in the reported incidence seems to be at least partially due to a broadening of the concept and diagnostic criteria for autism as well as increased awareness and improved detection at all ages and all levels of intellectual ability 3,4 . The sex ratio of prevalence is, however, a stable male preponderance, although it varies depending on ASD subtype.…”

Validation and determining an optimal cut‐off score of the Infant Behavior Checklist for autism spectrum disorder

“…PDDAS and consensus DSM‐IV diagnoses agreed in the 77 children with PDD diagnosis and disagreed in only two children in subtype diagnoses of autistic disorder and PDD not otherwise specified. The PDDAS, which takes 1.5 h to administer, has clinical and research utility 12 . According to the DSM‐IV, the PDDAS can divide PDD into three categories: autistic disorder, AS, and PDD not otherwise specified; however, in this study, these three were collapsed into ASD following DSM‐5.…”

“…The PDDAS, which takes 1.5 h to administer, has clinical and research utility. 12 According to the DSM-IV, the PDDAS can divide PDD into three categories: autistic disorder, AS, and PDD not otherwise specified; however, in this study, these three were collapsed into ASD following DSM-5. In this study, the PDDAS was administered solely by a psychiatrist.…”

Reduced prefrontal hemodynamic response in pediatric autism spectrum disorder measured with near-infrared spectroscopy

“…Participants were individuals with ASD who had no history of previous psychiatric disorder treatment, and had consulted one of the experienced pediatric psychiatrists at the Department of Psychiatry of Nara Medical University that anyone with demand could visit at any time without constraints of severity, age, residence, economics, and so on. Participants with ASD underwent a standard clinical assessment comprising a psychiatric evaluation, a semi-structured interview system for ASD (the Pervasive Developmental Disorders Assessment System) [35], and an examination of medical history by an experienced pediatric psychiatrist. Two experienced pediatric psychiatrists confirmed the diagnosis of ASD in accordance with the DSM-5.…”