# Comparison between the Clancy Behavior Scale and the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers in Taiwan

## TL;DR

This study compares two tools for detecting autism in toddlers and finds that combining them improves accuracy.

## Contribution

The study evaluates and compares the effectiveness of CBS and M-CHAT for early ASD detection in toddlers in Taiwan.

## Key findings

- The short forms of CBS and M-CHAT showed higher diagnostic accuracy than their full versions.
- Combining CBS and M-CHAT improved the detection of high-risk ASD toddlers when results were consistent.
- CBS:9 had 75% sensitivity and 74% specificity, while M-CHAT:14 had 72% sensitivity and 85% specificity.

## Abstract

(1) Background: Precise diagnosis and early intervention are crucial for toddlers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to achieve a better prognosis. This study investigated the efficacy of the Clancy Behavior Scale (CBS) and Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) in detecting ASD among toddlers under 30 months of age. (2) Methods: A total of 215 toddlers (117 with ASD and 98 with development delays) aged between 18 and 29 months participated in this study. All the primary caregivers of these toddlers were recruited to complete the CBS and M-CHAT. (3) Results: The findings indicated that the accuracy of the CBS and M-CHAT was promising, and the short forms of these two instruments performed better than their full versions. The CBS:9 critical items presented a sensitivity of 0.75 and a specificity of 0.74, while the M-CHAT:14 brief items showed a sensitivity of 0.72 and a specificity of 0.85. (4) Conclusions: The diagnostic accuracy of high-risk ASD toddlers improved via the combination of CBS and M-CHAT, particularly when the information gathered from these two instruments were consistent. The findings may provide implications for enhancing the early detection of ASD.