Child psychologists and parents of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders and other disabilities often rely on a multi-platform approach to treatment, but it can be difficult to rate the severity of the underlying disorder in order to form a treatment plan. The Aberrant Behavior Checklist, or ABC, seeks to quantify the analysis by evaluating the child on the basis of five behavioral subscales that characterize the outward manifestation of such mental disorders. Following the diagnosis and treatment prescription, the ABC is used to evaluate progress and the efficacy of the chosen treatments.
Relevant Pairs
The ABC can be administered in a clinical setting, either inpatient or outpatient, or it can be completed by parents in the home. Ideally, parents, teachers and clinicians will complete separate exams and compare the data. Each test provides its own level of detail based on the relevant pairs: child to parent, child to teacher/authority figure, and child to doctor.
Symptoms
There are 58 listed symptoms on the ABC checklist ranging from crying to hitting or breaking things. Over the course of testing, the parent, doctor or teacher will observe the child and score the behaviors for each and every symptom. The scores are categorized into five subscales.
Subscales
The first ABC subscale is "Irritability, Agitation and Crying." The cause of the behavior is less important than the disruption the behavior causes, in terms or ratings. The "Lethargy and Social Withdrawal" subscale is usually most acute in children with a dual diagnosis, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder and Depression, according to a study by Karen J. Shedlack, M.D., et al., published in the journal "Psychiatric Services," April 2005. "Stereotypic Behavior," the fourth subscale, manifests as ritualized movement such as rocking back and forth, and it can be indicative of severe Autism Spectrum Disorder or Mental Retardation. The final subscale is "Hyperactivity and Non-compliance," often seen in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD.
Efficacy
As a diagnostic tool, the ABC is more accurate than IQ testing alone or similar composite diagnostics like the Global Assessment of Functioning, or GAF, according to the Shedlack study. Another study by J. Rojahn published in the "Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders," compared individual assessments completed by parents, teachers and doctors. The analysis found that each test, though consistent in the overall findings, added a level of detail that aided in treatment prescriptions that led to desirable outcomes.
References
- "Psychiatric Services"; A Comparison of the Aberrant Behavior Checklist ...; Karen J. Shedlack, M.D., et al.
- "Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders"; The Aberrant Behavior Checklist; Rojahn, J,, Helsel, W.J.
- "The American Psychological Association"; The aberrant behavior checklist: A Behavior Rating Scale for the Assessment of Treatment Effects; Michael G. Aman, et al.
