The implementation of the screening tool for autism in toddlers in Part C early intervention programs: An 18-month follow-up.
Daina M Tagavi, Catherine C Dick, Shana M Attar and 2 others
PMID 35403446WHAT IT FOUND
A one-day STAT workshop increased early intervention providers' confidence in autism screening, and 30 of 60 providers used the screener.
It did not measure whether toddlers were diagnosed or referred sooner.
Key findings
01After training, providers' self-efficacy scores rose by 0.24 at 6 months and 0.34 at 18 months compared with the pre-training baseline.
0230 of 60 providers (50.0%) reported using the STAT at least once after training, and 15 of 56 providers (26.8%) reported formal certification at the final follow-up.
03STAT users reported mean feasibility scores of 3.30 and 3.42 and mean perceived effectiveness scores of 3.90 and 4.23 at the two post-training follow-ups.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The surveys for self-efficacy, adoption, feasibility, and effectiveness were created or adapted by the research team rather than using previously validated measures. The study did not directly observe STAT administration or fidelity, so provider-reported use was not independently confirmed. The study did not measure child outcomes such as rates of diagnosis, age at diagnosis, or referral for full assessment. Autistic community members were not involved in designing, implementing, or interpreting the study. The provider sample was 92.4% White and 93.7% female, so results may not generalize to more diverse early intervention workforces. 69 providers were included in analyses, but STAT adoption was reported among 60 providers at one follow-up and 56 providers at another.
Declared interests
One author, WS, is an author of the STAT and receives an author's share of royalties from Vanderbilt University for STAT sales.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that STAT screening improved autism identification or child outcomes. This study did not measure diagnosis rates, age at diagnosis, or referral for full assessment, and provider reports of STAT use were not directly verified.