# Accuracy of the ABFW ‒ Screening for speech disorders in early childhood

## TL;DR

This study evaluates the accuracy of the ABFW screening protocol for identifying speech disorders in young children, showing moderate accuracy and high sensitivity for autism spectrum disorder.

## Contribution

The study validates the ABFW protocol adapted for Brazilian children, highlighting its potential for public health use.

## Key findings

- The ABFW protocol showed 64.3% balanced accuracy for speech therapy hypotheses.
- High sensitivity (94.12%) and specificity (92.31%) were found for autism spectrum disorder hypotheses.
- The protocol has potential for use in Brazilian public health policies.

## Abstract

•188 protocols were analyzed.•Balanced accuracy of 64.3% for all speech therapy hypotheses.•Sensitivity of 94.12% and specificity of 92.31% for the diagnostic hypothesis of AS.

188 protocols were analyzed.

Balanced accuracy of 64.3% for all speech therapy hypotheses.

Sensitivity of 94.12% and specificity of 92.31% for the diagnostic hypothesis of AS.

To verify the accuracy of a protocol for the Brazilian population of the ABFW ‒ Adapted Child Language Test, named ABFW Triagem.

This was a diagnostic accuracy study carried out at the speech therapy outpatient clinic of one of Brazil's leading public universities. Through the database, protocols were selected for patients aged between 0 and 5 years and 11-months who visited the outpatient clinic between 2016 and 2019 with any speech and hearing complaint. A follow up was carried out in 2024 to find out whether the speech therapy hypothesis was assertive or not.

188 protocols were selected and only 43 caregivers answered the researcher's call. The ABFW Screening protocol showed 72.1% accuracy and 64.3% balanced accuracy. Of all the hypotheses, the main one was language alteration characteristic of autism spectrum disorder (88.89%) with a sensitivity of 94.12% and specificity of 92.31%.

The ABFW protocol adapted for speech and hearing screening proved to be a tool with the potential to make significant contributions to Brazilian public policies of interest to Primary Health Care. We suggest a greater volume of other speech therapy diagnostic hypotheses so that it can be validated and used by specialists, thus fulfilling the methodological rigor and development essential for its quality.

Is this diagnostic or monitoring test accurate? (Diagnosis) ‒ Level 2 (Individual cross-sectional studies with consistently applied reference standard and blinding).