Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36876642›Full record

ArticleBJPsych open2023

Comparison of an online adaptation of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2 with its in-person version in an adult autism diagnostic service.

Charlotte E Blackmore, Alexandra Nolan, Vladimira Stoencheva, Natalie Greenwood, Natasha Liu-Thwaites, Stefanos Maltezos, Grainne M McAlonan

Full text read
In one paragraph

Article in BJPsych open, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Charlotte E BlackmoreDepartment of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; and Adult ADHD and Autism Service, Croydon Adult and Behavioural & Developmental Psychiatry Directorate, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5065-625X
Alexandra NolanAdult ADHD and Autism Service, Croydon Adult and Behavioural & Developmental Psychiatry Directorate, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Vladimira StoenchevaAdult ADHD and Autism Service, Croydon Adult and Behavioural & Developmental Psychiatry Directorate, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Natalie GreenwoodAdult ADHD and Autism Service, Croydon Adult and Behavioural & Developmental Psychiatry Directorate, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Natasha Liu-ThwaitesAdult ADHD and Autism Service, Croydon Adult and Behavioural & Developmental Psychiatry Directorate, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8138-5728
Stefanos MaltezosAdult ADHD and Autism Service, Croydon Adult and Behavioural & Developmental Psychiatry Directorate, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Grainne M McAlonanDepartment of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; and Adult ADHD and Autism Service, Croydon Adult and Behavioural & Developmental Psychiatry Directorate, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRestrictions on in-person assessments during the COVID-19 pandemic were a challenge for an adult autism diagnostic service receiving over 600 referrals annually. The service sought to adapt the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2) for online administration.

aimsTo investigate whether an online adaptation of the ADOS-2 performed comparably to the in-person ADOS-2. To obtain qualitative feedback from patients and clinicians regarding experiences of the online alternative.

methodOnline ADOS-2 assessments were completed for 163 referred individuals. A matched-comparison group comprised 198 individuals seen for an in-person ADOS-2 assessment prior to COVID-19 restrictions. A two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was run to explore any effect of assessment type (online or in-person ADOS-2) and gender on total ADOS score. Qualitative feedback was collected from 46 patients and 8 clinicians involved in diagnostic decision-making after the online ADOS-2 assessment.

resultsA two-way ANOVA found no significant effect of assessment type or gender and no assessment type × gender interaction effect on total ADOS score. Qualitative feedback suggested that only 27% of patients would have preferred an in-person assessment. Nearly all clinicians reported gains from offering an online alternative.

conclusionsThis is the first study to examine an online adaptation of ADOS-2 within an adult autism diagnostic service. It performed comparably to the in-person ADOS-2, making it a viable alternative when in-person assessments are not possible. As this clinic group has high rates of comorbid mental health difficulties, we encourage further work to determine whether online assessment approaches generalise to other services to increase options for patients and efficiencies for service delivery.

Indexed as

autismAutism Diagnostic Observation ScheduleAutism spectrum disordersdiagnosistelehealth

Identifiers

PMID36876642
PMCPMC10044163

What OpenQuestion holds

Textfull text, public
LicenceCC BY
measurements read19
identifiers read1
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.