Diagnosing ASD in Adults Without ID: Accuracy of the ADOS-2 and the ADI-R

• Published in: Journal of autism and developmental disorders Vol. 47; no. 11; pp. 3370 - 3379
• Main Authors: Fusar-Poli, Laura, Brondino, Natascia, Rocchetti, Matteo, Panisi, Cristina, Provenzani, Umberto, Damiani, Stefano, Politi, Pierluigi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.11.2017; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Accuracy; Adult; Adults; Algorithms; Autism; Autism Spectrum Disorder - complications; Autism Spectrum Disorder - diagnosis; Autism Spectrum Disorders; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Behavioral Sciences; Care and treatment; Child and School Psychology; Clinical assessment; Clinical decision making; Clinical Diagnosis; Clinical medicine; College Science; Diagnosis; Diagnostic Tests; Female; Humans; Intellectual disabilities; Intellectual Disability - complications; Intellectual Disability - diagnosis; Intelligence (Psychology); Intelligence Quotient; Intelligence tests; Interpersonal Relationship; Italian; Language Skills; Learning disabilities; Learning disabled people; Male; Medical diagnosis; Medical Evaluation; Mental Disorders; Neuropsychological Tests - standards; Neurosciences; Observation; Original Paper; Parent Caregiver Relationship; Patients; Pediatrics; Pervasive Developmental Disorders; Psychiatry; Psychological aspects; Psychological Evaluation; Psychology; Psychometrics; Public Health; Schizophrenia; Sensitivity and Specificity; Test Validity; Validity; ADI-R; Autism; Adult; ADOS; DSM-5; Diagnosis
• ISSN: 0162-3257; 1573-3432; 1573-3432
• DOI: 10.1007/s10803-017-3258-2

Diagnosing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in adulthood often represents a challenge in clinical practice. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the ADOS and ADI-R in diagnosing ASD in adults. 113 subjects with an IQ of 70 or above were assessed through an extensive clinical evaluation. The ADOS-2 Module 4 and the ADI-R were separately administered by staff members blind to clinical judgment. Our results cautiously confirm the accuracy of ADOS-2 Module 4, while suggest that ADI-R might not be reliable in adults without intellectual disability. Clinicians’ training and experience remains of primary importance while assessing adults who could potentially belong to the autism spectrum.