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Asperger Syndrome Diagnostic Scale

The Asperger Syndrome Diagnostic Scale (ASDS; Myles, Bock, & Simpson, 2001) is a norm- referenced measure consisting of 50 yes/no items.

Available from ProEd

Overview

The Asperger Syndrome Diagnostic Scale (ASDS; Myles, Bock, & Simpson, 2001) is an observational, norm- referenced measure consisting of 50 items that represent behaviors that are consistent with the DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome. It can be completed by anyone who knows the child or adolescent well. The ASDS yields scores in five areas: cognitive, maladaptive, language, social, and sensorimotor, as well as a total score represented by the Asperger Syndrome Quotient (ASQ). The five subtests provide information comparing the behaviors of the individual to the behaviors of individuals diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome (AS). The ASQ indicates the probability of Asperger Syndrome. It is available in English and Spanish.

Summary

Age: 5 years to 18 years

Time to Administer: 10 - 15 minutes

Method of Administration: Parent/teacher/caregiver questionnaire: 50 items rated for presence or absence of behaviors related to DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome.

Yields standard scores and percentiles for the five subscales. Raw scores from the subscales are added to create the Asperger Syndrome Quotient (ASQ), which is a standard score.

Subscales: OVERALL COMPOSITE SCORE: Asperger Syndrome Quotient (ASQ)
SUBSCALE SCORES: Cognitive; Maladaptive; Language; Social; Sensorimotor
Screening/Diagnosis: D

Autism Related Research

Boggs, Gross, & Gohm (2006)

Age Range: 5-17 years

Sample Size: 76

Topics Addressed:

Divergent and convergent validity; Discriminative validity

Outcome:Boggs, Gross, & Gohm (2006)

Evidence of divergent validity of ASDS indicates it measures different constructs than does the GARS, though evidence was weak. Weak correlation between ASQ and AS (r = 0.23); AU group r = 0.65, Intellectually Gifted r = 0.49, No Ruling group r = 0.51. Evidence of discriminative validity of ASDS in combination with GARS and SSRS. Prediction accuracy rate: 93.2% for AS and Non-AS, 72.7% for AS and AU, 87.9% for AS and AU when all three measures were used.

Conclusion: potential usefulness of the ASDS as part of a collection of measures, “but a lack of consensus of the clinical picture of Asperger Syndrome and autism make it difficult to determine the utility of the ASDS” (p. 180).

Campbell (2005)

Age Range:

Sample Size: Comparative review of measures for detection of Asperger Syndrome

Topics Addressed:

Psychometric property comparison

Outcome:Campbell (2005)

Questionable standardization sample where independent diagnosis of Asperger not determined; no evidence of cognitive functioning for standardization sample. Weak reliability data; low ceilings; steep item gradients.

Conclusion: among the measures compared, the ASDS consistently showed the weakest psychometric properties.