Evaluating Reliability and Predictive Validity of the Persian ‎Translation of Quantitative Checklist for Autism in Toddlers ‎‎(Q-CHAT)‎

Objective: Early screening of ‎autism increases the chance of ‎receiving timely intervention. ‎Using the Parent Report ‎Questionnaires is effective in ‎screening autism. The Q-CHAT is ‎a new instrument that has shown ‎several advantages than other ‎screening tools. Because there is ‎no adequate tool for the early ‎screening of autistic traits in ‎Iranian children, we aimed to ‎investigate the adequacy of the ‎Persian translation of Q-CHAT‏.‏ Method: At first, we prepared the ‎Persian translation of the ‎Quantitative Checklist for Autism ‎in Toddlers (Q-CHAT). After that, ‎an appropriate sample was ‎selected and the check list was ‎administered. Our sample ‎included 100 children in two ‎groups (typically developing and ‎autistic children) who had been ‎selected conveniently .Pearson’s ‎r was used to determine test-‎retest reliability, and Cronbach’s ‎alpha coefficient was used to ‎explore the internal consistency ‎of Q-CHAT. We used the receiver ‎operating characteristics curve ‎‎(ROC) to investigate whether Q-‎CHAT can adequately ‎discriminate between typically ‎developing and ASD children or ‎not. Data analysis was carried out ‎by SPSS 19‎‏.‏ Result: The typically developing ‎group consisted of 50 children ‎with the mean age of 27.14 ‎months, and the ASD group ‎included50 children with the ‎mean age of 29.62 months. The ‎mean of the total score for the ‎typically developing group was ‎‎22.4 (SD=6.26) on Q-CHAT and it ‎was 50.94 (SD=12.35) for the ‎ASD group, which was ‎significantly different ‎‎(p=0.00).The Cronbach’s alpha ‎coefficient of the checklist was ‎‎0.886, and test-retest reliability ‎was calculated as 0.997 (p < 0.01). ‎The estimated area under the ‎curve (AUC) was 0.971. It seems ‎that the total score equal to 30 ‎can be a good cut point to identify ‎toddlers who are at risk of autism ‎‎(sensitivity= 0.96 and specificity= ‎‎0.90)‎‏.‏ Conclusion: The Persian ‎translation of Q-CHAT has good ‎reliability and predictive validity ‎and can be used as a screening ‎tool todetect18 to 24 months old ‎children who are at risk of autism.‎