Longitudinal stability and Autism Diagnostic Observation Scale-2 predictors of the Childhood Joint Attention Rating Scale.
Jennifer C Bullen, Sandy L Birkeneder, Matthew C Zajic and 4 others
PMID 39644166WHAT IT FOUND
The Childhood Joint Attention Rating Scale (C-JARS) scores remained stable over 15 months in autistic, ADHD, and non-autistic children.
Parent reports aligned with direct observation and other autism measures, supporting C-JARS as a reliable tool for tracking joint attention and social sharing.
Key findings
01C-JARS scores showed adequate to excellent stability across a 15-month interval for all three groups, with intraclass correlations ranging from .74 to .87.
02The C-JARS significantly distinguished autistic children from non-autistic and ADHD groups, correctly identifying 87% of the autism vs. non-autistic sample and 73% of the autism vs. ADHD sample.
03C-JARS scores correlated with direct observation measures (ADOS-2) and other parent-report scales (SRS, SCQ, ASSQ), supporting its validity in assessing joint attention and social symptoms.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study excluded children with intellectual disabilities (full-scale IQ below 70), so results do not apply to that population. Sample sizes for comparison groups, particularly the ADHD group, were relatively small, limiting the power of clinical comparisons. The 15-month interval may be too short to capture significant developmental changes in joint attention, which might be more evident over longer periods or in younger children. The study relied on parent report and ADOS-2 observations but did not use objective experimental measures of joint attention.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest. The research was supported by the Institute of Education Sciences and the UC Davis Department of Psychiatry Lisa Capps Endowment.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the C-JARS as a standalone diagnostic tool. While it distinguishes groups well, the study highlights substantial overlap between autistic and ADHD profiles, and the scale's validity is supported by correlations with other measures, not by independent clinical diagnosis.