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Predictive properties of the A-TAC inventory when screening for childhood-onset neurodevelopmental problems in a population-based sample

Larson, Tomas LU ; Lundstom, Sebastian ; Nilsson, Thomas ; Selinus, Eva Noren ; Råstam, Maria LU orcid ; Lichtenstein, Paul ; Gumpert, Clara Hellner ; Anckarsäter, Henrik LU and Kerekes, Nora (2013) In BMC Psychiatry 13.
Abstract
Background: Identifying children with childhood-onset neurodevelopmental problems (NDPs, defined here as autism spectrum disorders [ASDs], attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder [AD/HD], tic disorders [TDs], learning disorders [LDs] and development coordination disorder), using easily administered screening instruments, is a prerequisite for epidemiological research. Such instruments are also clinically useful to prioritize children for comprehensive assessments, to screen risk groups, and to follow controls. Autism-Tics, ADHD, and other Co-morbidities inventory (A-TAC) was developed to meet these requirements; here the A-TAC's prospective and psychometric properties are examined, when used in a population-based, epidemiological setting.... (More)
Background: Identifying children with childhood-onset neurodevelopmental problems (NDPs, defined here as autism spectrum disorders [ASDs], attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder [AD/HD], tic disorders [TDs], learning disorders [LDs] and development coordination disorder), using easily administered screening instruments, is a prerequisite for epidemiological research. Such instruments are also clinically useful to prioritize children for comprehensive assessments, to screen risk groups, and to follow controls. Autism-Tics, ADHD, and other Co-morbidities inventory (A-TAC) was developed to meet these requirements; here the A-TAC's prospective and psychometric properties are examined, when used in a population-based, epidemiological setting. Methods: Since 2004, parents of all Swedish twins have been asked to take part in an ongoing, nation-wide twin study (The Child and Adolescent Twin Study in Sweden). The study includes the A-TAC, carried out as a telephone interview with parents of twins aged 9 or 12. In the present study, screen-positive twins from three birth year cohorts (1993-1995) were invited to a comprehensive clinical follow-up (blinded for previous screening results) together with their co-twins and randomly selected, healthy controls at age 15 (Total N = 452). Results: Sensitivity and specificity of A-TAC scores for predicting later clinical diagnoses were good to excellent overall, with values of the area under the receiver operating characteristics curves ranging from 0.77 (AD/HD) to 0.91 (ASDs). Among children who were screen-positive for an ASD, 48% received a clinical diagnosis of ASDs. For AD/HD, the corresponding figure was also 48%, for LDs 16%, and for TDs 60%. Between 4% and 35% of screen-positive children did not receive any diagnosis at the clinical follow-up three years later. Among screen-negative controls, prevalence of ASDs, AD/HD, LDs, and TDs was 0%, 7%, 4%, and 2%, respectively. Conclusions: The A-TAC appeared to be a valid instrument to assess NDPs in this population-based, longitudinal study. It has good-to-excellent psychometric properties, with an excellent ability to distinguish NDPs (mainly ASDs) from non-NDPs at least three years after the screening evaluations, although specific diagnoses did not correspond closely to actual clinical diagnoses. (Less)
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Mental disorders diagnosed in childhood, Screening, and other Co-morbidities inventory, AD/HD, Tics, Autism, A-TAC, Co-morbidity, Cohort, studies, Predictive value of tests, Sensitivity and specificity
in
BMC Psychiatry
volume
13
article number
233
publisher
BioMed Central (BMC)
external identifiers
  • wos:000325144900001
  • scopus:84884524352
  • pmid:24066834
ISSN
1471-244X
DOI
10.1186/1471-244X-13-233
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
df993327-c6a6-401a-8ba1-75f615f7982e (old id 4172181)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:56:42
date last changed
2022-03-21 07:38:20
@article{df993327-c6a6-401a-8ba1-75f615f7982e,
  abstract     = {{Background: Identifying children with childhood-onset neurodevelopmental problems (NDPs, defined here as autism spectrum disorders [ASDs], attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder [AD/HD], tic disorders [TDs], learning disorders [LDs] and development coordination disorder), using easily administered screening instruments, is a prerequisite for epidemiological research. Such instruments are also clinically useful to prioritize children for comprehensive assessments, to screen risk groups, and to follow controls. Autism-Tics, ADHD, and other Co-morbidities inventory (A-TAC) was developed to meet these requirements; here the A-TAC's prospective and psychometric properties are examined, when used in a population-based, epidemiological setting. Methods: Since 2004, parents of all Swedish twins have been asked to take part in an ongoing, nation-wide twin study (The Child and Adolescent Twin Study in Sweden). The study includes the A-TAC, carried out as a telephone interview with parents of twins aged 9 or 12. In the present study, screen-positive twins from three birth year cohorts (1993-1995) were invited to a comprehensive clinical follow-up (blinded for previous screening results) together with their co-twins and randomly selected, healthy controls at age 15 (Total N = 452). Results: Sensitivity and specificity of A-TAC scores for predicting later clinical diagnoses were good to excellent overall, with values of the area under the receiver operating characteristics curves ranging from 0.77 (AD/HD) to 0.91 (ASDs). Among children who were screen-positive for an ASD, 48% received a clinical diagnosis of ASDs. For AD/HD, the corresponding figure was also 48%, for LDs 16%, and for TDs 60%. Between 4% and 35% of screen-positive children did not receive any diagnosis at the clinical follow-up three years later. Among screen-negative controls, prevalence of ASDs, AD/HD, LDs, and TDs was 0%, 7%, 4%, and 2%, respectively. Conclusions: The A-TAC appeared to be a valid instrument to assess NDPs in this population-based, longitudinal study. It has good-to-excellent psychometric properties, with an excellent ability to distinguish NDPs (mainly ASDs) from non-NDPs at least three years after the screening evaluations, although specific diagnoses did not correspond closely to actual clinical diagnoses.}},
  author       = {{Larson, Tomas and Lundstom, Sebastian and Nilsson, Thomas and Selinus, Eva Noren and Råstam, Maria and Lichtenstein, Paul and Gumpert, Clara Hellner and Anckarsäter, Henrik and Kerekes, Nora}},
  issn         = {{1471-244X}},
  keywords     = {{Mental disorders diagnosed in childhood; Screening; and other Co-morbidities inventory; AD/HD; Tics; Autism; A-TAC; Co-morbidity; Cohort; studies; Predictive value of tests; Sensitivity and specificity}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{BioMed Central (BMC)}},
  series       = {{BMC Psychiatry}},
  title        = {{Predictive properties of the A-TAC inventory when screening for childhood-onset neurodevelopmental problems in a population-based sample}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/3060567/4609871.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1186/1471-244X-13-233}},
  volume       = {{13}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}