| Abstract: | IT WAS HYPOTHESIZED THAT RELIABLE AND VALID PSYCHOMETRIC EVALUATIONS OF YOUNG AUTISTIC CHILDREN ARE POSSIBLE WITH MEASUREMENTS AT APPROPRIATELY LOW DEVELOPMENTAL LEVELS. A MODIFIED 20-MIN INFANT TEST WAS ADMINISTERED AND READMINISTERED TO 14 5-YR-OLD AUTISTIC CHILDREN. INFANT TEST SCORES WERE CORRELATED WITH INDEPENDENT CLINICAL JUDGMENTS AND SOCIAL AGES AS DETERMINED BY THE VINELAND SOCIAL MATURITY SCALE. A TEST-RETEST R OF .93 AND ITEM ANALYSES DEMONSTRATED HIGH RELIABILITY. 4 OF 5 CORRELATIONS WITH VALIDATING CRITERIA WERE HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT AUTISTIC CHILDREN (1) ARE NOT PSYCHOMETRICALLY UNTESTABLE, AND (2) MAY DIFFER FROM OTHER SEVERELY COGNITIVELY HANDICAPPED CHILDREN PRIMARILY BY VIRTUE OF HAVING FEWER MOTOR DISABILITIES. (22 REF.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
