Screening children and adolescents with mild to moderate intellectual disability for autistic symptoms with the Indian Autism Screening Questionnaire (IASQ).

INTRODUCTION

Intellectual disability (ID) is frequently associated with autistic symptoms. Considering the prevalence of ID and the large numbers involved, a simple easy-to-use screening instrument is required. The present study aimed to screen a group of children with ID using the Indian Autism Screening Questionnaire (IASQ), a screening instrument for identifying autism in the general population but not tested among children with ID.

OBJECTIVES

To screen for the presence and prevalence of autistic symptoms among Indian children with ID and to evaluate IASQ scale properties in this group.

METHODS

In a cross-sectional observational study, 120 children/adolescents between the ages of 3 and 18 (both genders) with mild to moderate ID were assessed using the Vineland Social Maturity Scale for Social Quotient, IASQ, and the Indian Scale for Assessment of Autism (ISAA).

RESULTS

Using the ISAA, 37.2% of children with mild ID (mild symptoms 27, moderate 5) and 52.9% with moderate ID (mild 16, moderate 2) reported autistic symptoms. The sensitivity and specificity for IASQ against the ISAA were acceptable - high sensitivity at cutoffs 1 to 5 and high specificity at cutoffs 4 and 5.

CONCLUSION

The IASQ can be used for screening for autistic symptoms among children with mild or moderate ID at cutoff 1, while the specificity is high at cutoff 4. Autistic features were reported among 1/3rd and 1/2nd of children with mild and moderate ID, respectively.