Music-based Autism Diagnostics (MUSAD) – A newly developed diagnostic measure for adults with intellectual developmental disabilities suspected of autism. (August 2015) - Bergmann, Thomas
Highlights: A music-based framework is appropriate for assessing ASD in adults with IDD. The dimensional structure of the MUSAD is in line with the DSM-5 ASD criteria. The reliability estimates for all test scores were sufficient. Evidence for construct validity is provided. Abstract: The MUSAD was developed as a diagnostic observational instrument in an interactional music framework. It is based on the ICD-10/DSM-5 criteria for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and was designed to assess adults on a lower level of functioning, including individuals with severe language impairments. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the newly developed instrument. Methods: Calculations were based on a consecutive clinical sample of N = 76 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) suspected of ASD. Objectivity, test-retest reliability, and construct validity were calculated and a confirmatory factor analysis was applied to verify a reduced and optimized test version. Results: The structural model showed a good fit, while internal consistency of the subscales was excellent ( ω > .92). Item difficulties ranged between .04 ≤ p i ≤ .82 and item-total correlation from .21 to .85. Objectivity was assessed by comparing the scorings of two external raters based on a subsample of n = 12; interrater agreement was .71 (ICC 2, 1). Reliability was calculated for four test repetitions: the average ICC (3, 1) was .69. Convergent ASD measures correlated significantly with the MUSAD, while the discriminant Modified Overt Aggression Scale (MOAS) showed no significant overlap. Conclusion: Confirmation of factorial structure and acceptable psychometric properties suggest that the MUSAD is a promising new instrument for diagnosing ASD in adults with IDD.