Long-Term Outcomes of Early Autism Spectrum Disorder Screening: Prevalence and Diagnostic Stability in a Decade-Long Cohort from Türkiye
Küçük Resim Yok
Tarih
2025
Dergi Başlığı
Dergi ISSN
Cilt Başlığı
Yayıncı
Mdpi
Erişim Hakkı
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
Özet
Objective: This study aimed to provide a reliable estimate of early childhood autism spectrum disorder (ASD) prevalence in T & uuml;rkiye and to examine diagnostic stability and developmental trajectories through a ten-year longitudinal follow-up incorporating systematic early screening, structured parent-child observations, and repeated diagnostic assessments. Methods: A total of 1981 children aged 18-48 months were screened using the M-CHAT-R/F. Children who screened positive underwent an initial clinical assessment, including a family interview and structured parent-child observation. Those identified as at risk were referred for DSM-5-TR-based diagnostic evaluation by expert clinicians. Children diagnosed with ASD or classified as at risk were enrolled in a structured ten-year follow-up program. Results: Of the 1981 screened children, 27 (1.4%) were identified as at risk. Nine children (33.3% of at-risk; 0.45% of the total sample) received an ASD diagnosis following comprehensive evaluation. All retained their diagnosis during the 18-month follow-up. By the tenth year, two additional children from the at-risk group were diagnosed, bringing the total number of ASD cases to 11. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that structured, multi-stage screening and diagnostic procedures are feasible and effective for early ASD identification in T & uuml;rkiye. High diagnostic stability supports the reliability of early clinician-led assessments, while later-emerging cases highlight the importance of long-term monitoring of at-risk children.
Açıklama
Anahtar Kelimeler
autism spectrum disorder, prevalence, diagnostic stability, longitudinal study
Kaynak
Brain Sciences
WoS Q Değeri
Q3
Scopus Q Değeri
Q2
Cilt
16
Sayı
1
