Journal Article

Development of the Observation Schedule for Children with Autism–Anxiety, Behaviour and Parenting (OSCA–ABP): A New Measure of Child and Parenting Behavior for Use with Young Autistic Children

Cawthorne, Thomas, Paris Perez, Juan, Webb, Sophie, Charman, Tony, Tarver, Joanne, Slonims, Vicky, Yorke, Isabel, Pickles, Andrew, Simonoff, Emily, Hay, Dale, Scott, Stephen, Frayne, Margot, Baker, Elena, Palmer, Melanie

2021

Overview

Co-occurring emotional and behavioral problems (EBPs) frequently exist in young autistic children. There is evidence based on parental report that parenting interventions reduce child EBPs. More objective measures of child EBPs should supplement parent reported outcomes in trials. We describe the development of a new measure of child and parenting behavior, the Observation Schedule for Children with Autism–Anxiety, Behaviour and Parenting (OSCA–ABP). Participants were 83 parents/carers and their 4–8-year-old autistic children. The measure demonstrated good variance and potential sensitivity to change. Child and parenting behavior were reliably coded among verbal and minimally verbal children. Associations between reports from other informants and observed behavior showed the measure had sufficient convergent validity. The measure has promise to contribute to research and clinical practice in autism mental health beyond objective measurement in trials.

• Publisher: Springer US,Springer,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Anxiety / Anxiety - diagnosis / Anxiety - psychology / Anxiety Disorders / Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder / Autism / Autism Spectrum Disorders / Autistic children / Autistic Disorder - diagnosis / Autistic Disorder - psychology / Behavior / Behavior change / Behavior Observation Techniques - methods / Behavior Problems / Behavior Theories / Behavioral Science and Psychology / Caregivers / Caregivers - psychology / Child / Child and School Psychology / Child Behavior / Child development / Child Rearing / Child, Preschool / Children / Clinical research / Clinical trials / Comorbidity / Convergent validity / Departments / Effect Size / Emotional behavior / Emotional Problems / Emotions / Feasibility Studies / Female / Health aspects / Health status / Humans / Learning Theories / Male / Measurement / Measures / Measures (Individuals) / Medical examination / Mental health / Mental health services / Meta Analysis / Methods / Neurosciences / Observation / Operant Conditioning / Original Paper / Parent and child / Parent Child Relationship / Parent-child relations / Parenting - psychology / Parents / Parents & parenting / Parents - psychology / Pediatric research / Pediatrics / Pervasive Developmental Disorders / Pilot Projects / Problem Behavior - psychology / Psychiatry / Psychological aspects / Psychological tests / Psychology / Public Health / Social Behavior / Validity / Young Children