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This study reports on the development and validation of an abridged version of the 50-item Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ), a self-report measure of autistic traits. We aimed to reduce the number of items whilst retaining high validity and a meaningful factor structure. The item reduction procedure was performed on data from 1,263 Dutch students and general population adults. The resulting 28-item AQ-Short was subsequently validated in 3 independent samples, both clinical and controls, from the Netherlands and the UK. The AQ-Short comprises two higher-order factors assessing ‘social behavioral difficulties’ and ‘a fascination for numbers/patterns’. The clear factor structure of the AQ-Short and its high sensitivity and specificity make the AQ-Short a useful alternative to the full 50-item version.

The Ritvo Autism Asperger Diagnostic Scale-Revised (RAADS-R) is a valid and reliable instrument to assist the diagnosis of adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The 80-question scale was administered to 779 subjects (201 ASD and 578 comparisons). All ASD subjects met inclusion criteria: DSM-IV-TR, ADI/ADOS diagnoses and standardized IQ testing. Mean scores for each of the questions and total mean ASD vs. the comparison groups’ scores were significantly different ( p  < .0001). Concurrent validity with Constantino Social Responsiveness Scale-Adult = 95.59%. Sensitivity = 97%, specificity = 100%, test–retest reliability r  = .987. Cronbach alpha coefficients for the subscales and 4 derived factors were good. We conclude that the RAADS-R is a useful adjunct diagnostic tool for adults with ASD.

The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS; Lord et al., J Autism Dev Disord, 30(3):205–223, 2000 ) is widely accepted as a “gold standard” diagnostic instrument, but it is of restricted utility with very young children. The purpose of the current project was to modify the ADOS for use in children under 30 months of age. A modified ADOS, the ADOS Toddler Module (or Module T), was used in 360 evaluations. Participants included 182 children with best estimate diagnoses of ASD, non-spectrum developmental delay or typical development. A final set of protocol and algorithm items was selected based on their ability to discriminate the diagnostic groups. The traditional algorithm “cutoffs” approach yielded high sensitivity and specificity, and a new range of concern approach was proposed.

The aim of this study is to standardize Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) scores within a large sample to approximate an autism severity metric. Using a dataset of 1,415 individuals aged 2–16 years with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) or nonspectrum diagnoses, a subset of 1,807 assessments from 1,118 individuals with ASD were divided into narrow age and language cells. Within each cell, severity scores were based on percentiles of raw totals corresponding to each ADOS diagnostic classification. Calibrated severity scores had more uniform distributions across developmental groups and were less influenced by participant demographics than raw totals. This metric should be useful in comparing assessments across modules and time, and identifying trajectories of autism severity for clinical, genetic, and neurobiological research.

Background. A self-report screening scale of adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the World Health Organization (WHO) Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) was developed in conjunction with revision of the WHO Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). The current report presents data on concordance of the ASRS and of a short-form ASRS screener with blind clinical diagnoses in a community sample. Method. The ASRS includes 18 questions about frequency of recent DSM-IV Criterion A symptoms of adult ADHD. The ASRS screener consists of six out of these 18 questions that were selected based on stepwise logistic regression to optimize concordance with the clinical classification. ASRS responses were compared to blind clinical ratings of DSM-IV adult ADHD in a sample of 154 respondents who previously participated in the US National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R), oversampling those who reported childhood ADHD and adult persistence. Results. Each ASRS symptom measure was significantly related to the comparable clinical symptom rating, but varied substantially in concordance (Cohen's κ in the range 0·16–0·81). Optimal scoring to predict clinical syndrome classifications was to sum unweighted dichotomous responses across all 18 ASRS questions. However, because of the wide variation in symptom-level concordance, the unweighted six-question ASRS screener outperformed the unweighted 18-question ASRS in sensitivity (68·7% v. 56·3%), specificity (99·5% v. 98·3%), total classification accuracy (97·9% v. 96·2%), and κ (0·76 v. 0·58). Conclusions. Clinical calibration in larger samples might show that a weighted version of the 18-question ASRS outperforms the six-question ASRS screener. Until that time, however, the unweighted screener should be preferred to the full ASRS, both in community surveys and in clinical outreach and case-finding initiatives.

Objective: Stigma has been conceptualized as comprised of 3 constructs: knowledge (ignorance), attitudes (prejudice), and behaviour (discrimination). We are not aware of a psychometrically tested instrument to assess knowledge about mental health problems among the general public. Our paper presents the results of the development stage and the psychometric properties of the Mental Health Knowledge Schedule (MAKS), an instrument to assess stigma-related mental health knowledge among the general public. Methods: We describe the development of the MAKS in addition to 3 studies that were carried out to evaluate the psychometric properties of the MAKS. Adults aged 25 to 45 years in socioeconomic groups: B, C1, and C2 completed the instrument via face-to-face interview (n = 92) and online (n = 403). Results: Internal reliability and test-retest reliability is moderate to substantial. Validity is supported by extensive review by experts (including service users and international experts in stigma research). Conclusion: The lack of a valid outcome measure to assess knowledge is a shortcoming of evaluations of stigma interventions and programs. The MAKS was found to be a brief and feasible instrument for assessing and tracking stigma-related mental health knowledge. This instrument should be used in conjunction with other attitude- and behaviour-related measures.

Purpose The current study aims to examine the potential use of the seven-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) short form (CES-D-SF). Methods Data were examined from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979. Participants responded to the 20-item CES-D ( n  = 8,858) in 1992, and to the 7-item CES-D-SF in 1994 ( n  = 8,500) and from 1998 to 2010 if aged 40 ( n  = 7,972) or 50 ( n  = 1,574) or over. Variables examined in 1979 were race, SES, and sex and in 1981 cognitive functioning. The CES-D-SF was examined for internal and test–retest reliability, unidimensionality with confirmatory factor analysis, and a cutoff score with receiver operator curve characteristics. Survival analysis was used to examine time period of first CES-D-SF suspected major depression episode, multinomial regression to examine the chronicity of CES-D-SF suspected major depression, and the course of depression with a Generalized Estimating Equation model. Results Compared to the CES-D, the CES-D-SF had higher internal consistency, and better unidimensionality based on confirmatory factor analysis. A CES-D-SF cutoff score ≥8 had acceptable specificity (0.97, 95 % CI 0.96, 0.97) and modest sensitivity (0.69, 95 % CI 0.67, 0.71) with the standard CES-D cutoff score of 16. Female sex and lower cognitive functioning were significantly ( p  < 0.05) associated with more CES-D-SF suspected depression that was more chronic based on a multinomial regression model, and occurred at a younger age based on a Cox regression model. Conclusions The seven-item CES-D-SF has acceptable psychometric properties, is associated with exposures documented to be associated with an increased likelihood of depression, and may be used to screen for suspected major depressive disorder in US community studies.

The Autism Spectrum Quotient—Children’s Version (AQ-Child) is a parent-report questionnaire that aims to quantify autistic traits in children 4–11 years old. The range of scores on the AQ-Child is 0–150. It was administered to children with an autism spectrum condition (ASC) ( n  = 540) and a general population sample ( n  = 1,225). Results showed a significant difference in scores between those with an ASC diagnosis and the general population. Receiver-operating-characteristic analyses showed that using a cut-off score of 76, the AQ-Child has high sensitivity (95%) and specificity (95%). The AQ-Child showed good test–retest reliability and high internal consistency. Factor analysis provided support for four of the five AQ-Child design subscales. Future studies should evaluate how the AQ-C performs in population screening.

Generic preference-based measures (EuroQoL-5D (EQ-5D) and SF-6D) are used in the economic evaluation of mental health interventions. However, there are inconsistent findings regarding their psychometric properties. To investigate the psychometric properties of the EQ-5D and SF-6D in different mental health conditions, using seven existing data-sets. The construct validity and responsiveness of the measures were assessed in comparison with condition-specific indicators. Evidence for construct validity and responsiveness in common mental health and personality disorders was found (correlations 0.22-0.64; effect sizes 0.37-1.24; standardised response means 0.45-1.31). There was some evidence for validity in schizophrenia (correlations 0.05-0.43), but responsiveness was unclear. EQ-5D and SF-6D can be used in the economic evaluation of interventions for common mental health problems with some confidence. In schizophrenia, a preference-based measure focused on the impact of mental health should be considered.

Empathy is a multidimensional construct consisting of cognitive (inferring mental states) and emotional (empathic concern) components. Despite a paucity of research, individuals on the autism spectrum are generally believed to lack empathy. In the current study we used a new, photo-based measure, the Multifaceted Empathy Test (MET), to assess empathy multidimensionally in a group of 17 individuals with Asperger syndrome (AS) and 18 well-matched controls. Results suggested that while individuals with AS are impaired in cognitive empathy, they do not differ from controls in emotional empathy. Level of general emotional arousability and socially desirable answer tendencies did not differ between groups. Internal consistency of the MET’s scales ranged from .71 to .92, and convergent and divergent validity were highly satisfactory.