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Discrepancies When Assessing Interpersonal Problem-Solving Skills in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Diagnostic Indicator

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Abstract

In children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), there are often discrepancies between direct assessment and third-party reports. We compared these children with groups with/without difficulties in interpersonal problem-solving skills in order to determine whether these discrepancies appear and if they could be a diagnostic indicator for ASD. There were 91 participants (ages 7–13): 28 children with ASD, 36 in a high family risk situation, and 27 typically developing children, all tested with direct measures and third-party reports. Results showed discrepancies only in the ASD group. Consequently, direct performance measures and third-party reports seem to be evaluating different constructs in children with ASD. In addition, both types of measures discriminate between groups, such that both are needed, especially in diagnostic assessments.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the participants, their parents and staff from the associations and schools involved.

Funding

This research was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, R&D Project Ref. 2011-24370 and by the Andalusian Regional Government (Junta de Andalucía) through Proyecto de Excelencia convocatoria 2012, Ref. P12-SEJ-560.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Investigación Mente, Cerebro y Comportamiento (CIMCYC), Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain

    M. Mar Gómez-Pérez, Sara Mata & M. Dolores Calero

  2. Personality, Assessment and Treatment Department, University of Granada, Campus Cartuja S/N, 18071, Granada, Spain

    Sara Mata

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  1. M. Mar Gómez-Pérez
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  2. Sara Mata
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  3. M. Dolores Calero
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Contributions

MMG contributed to the study desing, collected data, analysed data and wrote the manuscript. SM contributed to the study design, collected data, analysed data and wrote the manuscript. MDC contributed to the study design, analysed data and wrote the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Sara Mata.

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Gómez-Pérez, M.M., Mata, S. & Calero, M.D. Discrepancies When Assessing Interpersonal Problem-Solving Skills in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Diagnostic Indicator. J Autism Dev Disord 49, 1505–1516 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-018-3852-y

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