The Quantitative Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (Q-CHAT): A preliminary psychometric study in Chile

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of an adapted version of the Quantitative Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (Q-CHAT), an early screening tool that quantifies autistic traits dimensionally, in a community sample of Chilean children aged 18-24 months. An intentional non-probabilistic sampling was used. All primary caregivers of children aged 18-24 months who attended health check-up at four primary care clinics in Chile's Araucanía region during the study period were invited to participate. One hundred and eighty-eight toddlers were screened. Evidence of construct validity was determined through Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), evidence of convergent validity with the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised with Follow-Up (M-CHAT-R/F), and evidence of reliability through internal consistency and test-retest. The EFA showed a two-factor structure, which explained 42.2 % of the variance: “Restrictive and Repetitive Patterns” (factor 1), and “Communication and Social Interaction” (factor 2). The total Q-CHAT scores correlated positively and significantly with the total M-CHAT-R/F scores (r=0.59, p<0.01) with a large effect size. Internal consistency was acceptable for the scale in general (α=0.74), acceptable for factor 1 (α = 0.76) and good (α=0.85) for factor 2. Regarding test-retest stability, the intraclass correlation coefficient was good (ICC=0.86, p<0.001). In terms of the factor structure evidenced by the EFA, the two factors are theoretically consistent with the current diagnostic criteria of the DSM-5. The evidence of validity and reliability of Q-CHAT is encouraging when considering its use as an early detection tool in Chile.

Quantitative Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (Q-CHAT). A population screening study with follow-up: the case for multiple time-point screening for autism

“…The Q-CHAT has been translated and validated in other countries, including Italy and Chile. 35 36 A short version of the Q-CHAT (Q-CHAT-10) 37 was developed and tested retrospectively on toddlers with an autism diagnosis compared with toddlers from the unselected population reported. The sensitivity and specificity were 0.91 and 0.89, respectively.…”

Feasibility of an observational procedure to enhance early identification of autism spectrum disorder in paediatric settings: A mixed-methods study on an Ecuadorian sample

“…The implementation of specific training modules for professionals, that follow current recommendations for good practices in medium- and low-income contexts ( Buffle & Naranjo, 2021 ; Divan et al, 2021 ; Durkin et al, 2015 ; Nickel & Huang-Storms, 2017 ), together with the examination of screening procedures and questionnaires, tested by local professionals in a group of children from the general population, could contribute to the provision of quality early identification services that are adapted to the needs of the Ecuadorian population (e.g. Albores-Gallo et al (2012) ; Gatica-Bahamonde et al (2021) ; Roman- Urrestarazu et al (2021) ).…”