Utilizing the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) as an Autism Spectrum Disorder Preliminary Screener and Outcome Measure for the PEERS® Intervention for Autistic Adolescents.
Alexis A Arias, Madison M Rea, Elyse J Adler and 2 others
PMID 34052960WHAT IT FOUND
The Child Behavior Checklist accurately distinguished Autistic adolescents from typically developing peers, with Thought Problems showing the highest elevation.
After PEERS® intervention, Withdrawn/Depressed and Social Problems scores improved, but Anxious/Depressed scores did not.
Key findings
01A pattern of elevated scores on Anxious/Depressed, Withdrawn/Depressed, Social Problems, Thought Problems, and Attention Problems scales helped identify Autistic adolescents, with Thought Problems showing the highest proportion of clinical-level elevation.
02Adolescents receiving the PEERS® intervention showed significant improvements in Withdrawn/Depressed and Social Problems scores compared to the waitlist group, but no significant change in Anxious/Depressed scores.
03The ability of the CBCL to correctly identify Autism decreased after intervention, as Social Problems scores were no longer a significant predictor in the model.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The study excluded Somatic Complaints and Rule-Breaking scales due to poor internal consistency. The typically developing comparison group was small (n=47) and there was no non-ASD clinical comparison group. CBCL data were parent-reported, and parents participated in the PEERS® intervention, which may have introduced bias in post-intervention ratings. The sample was predominantly White males, limiting generalizability to females and other ethnic groups.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the lack of improvement in Anxious/Depressed scores as evidence that PEERS® fails to address anxiety. The CBCL Anxious/Depressed scale measures generalized anxiety, whereas PEERS® targets social anxiety, which requires different assessment tools like the Social Anxiety Interaction Scale.