DSM-5 Criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder Maximizes Diagnostic Sensitivity and Specificity in Preschool Children
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology (2019) 54:693–701 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-019-01674-1 ORIGINAL PAPER DSM-5 criteria for autism spectrum disorder maximizes diagnostic sensitivity and specificity in preschool children Lisa D. Wiggins1 · Catherine E. Rice2 · Brian Barger3 · Gnakub N. Soke1 · Li‑Ching Lee4 · Eric Moody5 · Rebecca Edmondson‑Pretzel6 · Susan E. Levy7 Received: 10 December 2018 / Accepted: 12 February 2019 / Published online: 8 March 2019 © This is a U.S. government work and its text is not subject to copyright protection in the United States; however, its text may be subject to foreign copyright protection 2019 Abstract Purpose The criteria for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were revised in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). The objective of this study was to compare the sensitivity and specificity of DSM-IV- Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) and DSM-5 definitions of ASD in a community-based sample of preschool children. Methods Children between 2 and 5 years of age were enrolled in the Study to Explore Early Development-Phase 2 (SEED2) and received a comprehensive developmental evaluation. The clinician(s) who evaluated the child completed two diagnostic checklists that indicated the presence and severity of DSM-IV-TR and DSM-5 criteria. Definitions for DSM-5 ASD, DSM- IV-TR autistic disorder, and DSM-IV-TR Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) were created from the diagnostic checklists. Results 773 children met SEED2 criteria for ASD and 288 met criteria for another developmental disorder (DD). Agreement between DSM-5 and DSM-IV-TR definitions of ASD were good for autistic disorder (0.78) and moderate for PDD-NOS (0.57 and 0.59). Children who met DSM-IV-TR autistic disorder but not DSM-5 ASD (n = 71) were more likely to have mild ASD symptoms, or symptoms accounted for by another disorder. Children who met PDD-NOS but not DSM-5 ASD (n = 66), or vice versa (n = 120) were less likely to have intellectual disability and more likely to be female. Sensitivity and specificity were best balanced with DSM-5 ASD criteria (0.95 and 0.78, respectively). Conclusions The DSM-5 definition of ASD maximizes diagnostic sensitivity and specificity in the SEED2 sample. These findings support the DSM-5 conceptualization of ASD in preschool children. Keywords Autism · Autism spectrum disorder · Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) · Diagnostic criteria * Lisa D. Wiggins 4 Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg [email protected] School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA 5 JFK Partners, University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical 1 National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Campus, Aurora, CO, USA Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway NE MS S106-4, Atlanta, GA 30341, 6 Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University USA of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA 2 Emory Autism Resource Center, Emory University, Atlanta, 7 Center for Autism Research, Children’s Hospital GA, USA of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA 3 School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA Vol.:(0123456789)1 3 694 Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology (2019) 54:693–701 Introduction diagnostic sensitivity and continue to improve diagnostic specificity. In DSM-5, ASD no longer includes subtypes Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental dis- but represents one singular condition defined by level of ability that affects social communication and behavior devel- functional support required by the individual. DSM-5 also opment and is typically recognized in the first few years of specifies that persons with ASD must meet all three social life [1]. ASD is the fastest growing developmental disability criteria (i.e., deficits in social-emotional reciprocity, defi- and costs $236–262 billion per year in the USA [2]. More cits in nonverbal communicative behaviors, and deficits in debilitating forms of ASD are associated with greater eco- developing, understanding, and maintaining relationships) nomic burden [2], parental stress [3], and more medical and and two of four behavioral criteria (i.e., repetitive speech or behavior co-morbidities [4]. Early detection of ASD symp- motor movements, insistence on sameness, restricted inter- toms facilitates referral for early intervention services which ests, or unusual response to sensory input) [1, 13]. are associated with improved developmental outcomes [5, The changes in DSM-5 diagnostic criteria have been 6]. The early detection of ASD is an important public health thought to embody more restrictive requirements than the priority that may address immediate and long-term needs of less stringent DSM-IV-TR PDD-NOS criteria with the children and families. potential to exclude very young children and those without ASD is a behaviorally defined disorder that relies on intellectual disability (ID) [14–16]. Consequently, diagnostic child observation and parent report to differentiate from sensitivity may suffer with improved diagnostic specificity other childhood conditions [7]. The criteria used to diagnose and impact the early detection and treatment of children ASD are outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of with ASD. Previous studies that compared the sensitivity Mental Disorders (DSM) published by the American Psychi- and specificity of DSM-IV-TR to DSM-5 criteria utilized atric Association (APA0). In DSM-IV-Text Revised (DSM- retrospective data collection methods and older populations IV-TR), ASD included subtypes of autistic disorder, Asper- of children (e.g., identifying DSM-5 symptoms in records of ger disorder, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not those evaluated with DSM-IV-TR criteria and employing a Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) [8]. A diagnosis of autis- research algorithm applied to previously collected diagnostic tic disorder required the presence of at least six of 12 total instruments). To our knowledge, no study has examined con- symptoms from three domains (two social, at least one com- current coding of DSM-IV-TR and DSM-5 criteria for ASD munication, and at least one behavioral), and onset before 36 by a clinician who evaluated the child at a developmental months of age. A diagnosis of Asperger disorder specified period when symptoms may be first recognized by a parent qualitative impairments in social interaction and presence or healthcare professional. of restricted interests and repetitive behaviors, but no cogni- The Study to Explore Early Development (SEED) is a tive, language, or non-social adaptive delays noted in early multi-site case–control study designed to explore risk factors development. Diagnoses of PDD-NOS were described as and behavioral phenotypes associated with ASD in children a severe and pervasive impairment in the development of 2–5 years of age [17]. In its second phase of data collection reciprocal social interaction associated with impairment in (SEED2), study clinicians were asked to complete DSM either verbal and nonverbal communication skills, or the checklists for both DSM-IV-TR and DSM-5 criteria utiliz- presence of stereotyped behavior, interests, and activities, ing all available information on the child. The objectives of but criteria not met for another ASD. Children with PDD- this analysis were to (1) report the sensitivity and specificity NOS, therefore, had to meet at least two diagnostic criteria of DSM-IV-TR and DSM-5 definitions of ASD compared to with one from the social domain. These criteria differed SEED2 final classification criteria, (2) examine agreement from those offered in DSM-IV in that social deficits were between DSM-IV-TR and DSM-5 definitions of ASD, and required to meet the DSM-IV-TR definition of ASD, but (3) evaluate differences between characteristics of children were not required to meet the DSM-IV definition of ASD, who met DSM-IV-TR but not DSM-5 definitions of ASD, and ultimately improved diagnostic specificity [9, 10]. and vice versa. Despite an improvement in diagnostic specificity, children with ASD defined by DSM-IV-TR criteria still presented with remarkable heterogeneity in symptom presentation Methods defined by different levels of ASD severity and the presence of co-occurring conditions [11]. This phenotypic diversity Participant ascertainment complicated diagnostic and treatment efforts, and the ability to synthesize findings from research studies [12]. In its pub- SEED2 is a community-based case–control study con- lication of the DSM-5 in 2013, the APA made considerable ducted in six study sites across the United States: Cali- changes to ASD diagnostic criteria in an effort to maintain fornia, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. The SEED2 protocol was approved 1 3 Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology (2019) 54:693–701 695 by Institutional Review Boards at each site and adhered once per year and for coding reliability at least once per to ethical standards. Children eligible for data collection quarter (or every 10th ASD assessment). First-pass coding were born between January 1, 2008 and December 31, reliability for field clinicians was 92% for the ADOS and 2011, enrolled between 2 and 5 years of age, resided in 97% for the ADI-R. Supervising clinicians had a doctorate one of the study areas, and lived with a knowledgeable degree in psychology, medicine, or related field and estab- caregiver who was competent to communicate in English lished research reliability with a certified ADOS and ADI-R (or in California and Colorado, in English or Spanish). trainer. Supervising clinicians were monitored by each other Three groups of children were recruited from each site: for administration fidelity once during the study period and (1) those with known ASD, (2) those with known devel- for coding reliability at least once per quarter. First-pass cod- opmental delays (DD) identified from multiple educational ing reliability for supervising clinicians also was 92% for the and health providers or family or physician referral, and ADOS and 97% for the ADI-R.