지역사회기반으로 모집된 2세 유아의 M-CHAT 특성에 관한 연구

The need for tools to screen infants and toddlers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is rising high. This study examines the effectiveness of the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT), which is frequently used as a screening tool for young children with ASD around the world, for South Korean children from local communities. The subjects were 700 children aged two years whose parents participated in the COhort for Childhood Origin of Asthma and allergic diseases(COCOA) by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and responded to M-CHAT and the Child Behavior Checklist for ages 1.5-5. (CBCL 1.5-5). The reliability of M-CHAT was checked for each question item and its validity was tested against CBCL 1.5-5. The difference of means among the three groups of the subjects was analyzed for M-CHAT and means were also compared with subscales of CBCL 1.5-5. The findings are as follows. First, the internal consistency of all items of M-CHAT was low (.42). The correlation between the total score of M-CHAT and DSM pervasive developmental problems, total problems, withdrawn scale of CBCL 1.5-5. was r=.29 (p<.01) and r=.27 (p<.01), respectively. Second, in terms of the gender ratio in the ASD risk group of M-CHAT, the ratio of boys(20.6% or 10.4% of the 700 children) was higher than that of girls (13.3% or 6.6%of the 700 children). In terms of the economic status of parents, the below average group was 9.3% higher than the above average group in the ASD risk group. Third, a significant difference was found in all 22 question items except for one item of M-CHAT in terms of the difference of means among the three groups. Forth, in terms of the difference of means between M-CHAT and CBCL 1.5-5. among the three groups, the high discriminatory score reference group showed a higher means in the DSM overall development scale and the withdrawal scale than the ASD risk and non-risk groups.