The Social Communication Questionnaire in a sample of the general population of school-going children

• Published in: Irish journal of medical science Vol. 178; no. 2; pp. 193 - 199
• Main Authors: Mulligan, A., Richardson, T., Anney, R. J. L., Gill, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Springer-Verlag 01.06.2009
• Subjects: Adolescent; Autistic Disorder - diagnosis; Child; Child Development Disorders, Pervasive - diagnosis; Child, Preschool; Communication; Data Collection; Family Medicine; Female; General Practice; Humans; Internal Medicine; Interpersonal Relations; Ireland; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Original Article; Psychometrics; Schools - statistics & numerical data; Statistics as Topic; Students - statistics & numerical data; Surveys and Questionnaires; Ireland; Autism; General population; Pervasive developmental disorder; Social Communication Questionnaire; Dimensions of autism
• ISSN: 0021-1265; 1863-4362
• DOI: 10.1007/s11845-008-0184-5

Background The social communication questionnaire (SCQ) for autistic spectrum disorder was previously validated in clinical populations. Aims To describe the distribution of SCQ-scores in the general child population, and identify if traits from all domains of autism are present. Methods The SCQ was completed by parents of children attending a mixed-gender primary school of 240 children. Results Total SCQ scores ranged from 1 to 20, with a mode 1 and corrected mean of 3.89, SD = 2.77. SCQ items corresponding to all three domains of autism were found in the sample. Some items on the SCQ were answered as “autism-positive” for up to 41.8% of children in the general population sample. Conclusions The SCQ has a wide range in the general population, with traits from all three domains of autism. Some items in the SCQ do not discriminate children with autism from other school-going children.