Autism in the Faroe Islands: Diagnostic Stability from Childhood to Early Adult Life

Childhood autism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been regarded as one of the most stable diagnostic categories applied to young children with psychiatric/developmental disorders. The stability over time of a diagnosis of ASD is theoretically interesting and important for various diagnostic and...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Eva Kočovská, Eva Billstedt, Asa Ellefsen, Hanna Kampmann, I. Carina Gillberg, Rannvá Biskupstø, Guðrið Andorsdóttir, Tormóður Stóra, Helen Minnis, Christopher Gillberg
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2013-01-01
Series:The Scientific World Journal
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/592371
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849306680384290816
author Eva Kočovská
Eva Billstedt
Asa Ellefsen
Hanna Kampmann
I. Carina Gillberg
Rannvá Biskupstø
Guðrið Andorsdóttir
Tormóður Stóra
Helen Minnis
Christopher Gillberg
author_facet Eva Kočovská
Eva Billstedt
Asa Ellefsen
Hanna Kampmann
I. Carina Gillberg
Rannvá Biskupstø
Guðrið Andorsdóttir
Tormóður Stóra
Helen Minnis
Christopher Gillberg
author_sort Eva Kočovská
collection DOAJ
description Childhood autism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been regarded as one of the most stable diagnostic categories applied to young children with psychiatric/developmental disorders. The stability over time of a diagnosis of ASD is theoretically interesting and important for various diagnostic and clinical reasons. We studied the diagnostic stability of ASD from childhood to early adulthood in the Faroe Islands: a total school age population sample (8–17-year-olds) was screened and diagnostically assessed for AD in 2002 and 2009. This paper compares both independent clinical diagnosis and Diagnostic Interview for Social and Communication Disorders (DISCO) algorithm diagnosis at two time points, separated by seven years. The stability of clinical ASD diagnosis was perfect for AD, good for “atypical autism”/PDD-NOS, and less than perfect for Asperger syndrome (AS). Stability of the DISCO algorithm subcategory diagnoses was more variable but still good for AD. Both systems showed excellent stability over the seven-year period for “any ASD” diagnosis, although a number of clear cases had been missed at the original screening in 2002. The findings support the notion that subcategories of ASD should be collapsed into one overarching diagnostic entity with subgrouping achieved on other “non-autism” variables, such as IQ and language levels and overall adaptive functioning.
format Article
id doaj-art-25f9dd7c544341fab3e4e8a3abfdfb1d
institution Kabale University
issn 1537-744X
language English
publishDate 2013-01-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series The Scientific World Journal
spelling doaj-art-25f9dd7c544341fab3e4e8a3abfdfb1d2025-08-20T03:55:00ZengWileyThe Scientific World Journal1537-744X2013-01-01201310.1155/2013/592371592371Autism in the Faroe Islands: Diagnostic Stability from Childhood to Early Adult LifeEva Kočovská0Eva Billstedt1Asa Ellefsen2Hanna Kampmann3I. Carina Gillberg4Rannvá Biskupstø5Guðrið Andorsdóttir6Tormóður Stóra7Helen Minnis8Christopher Gillberg9Institute of Health and Wellbeing, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Caledonia House, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Yorkhill, Glasgow G3 8SJ, UKGillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Kungsgatan 12, 411 19 Gothenburg, SwedenDepartment of Educational Psychology, Sernámsdepilin, Frælsinum 32, 100 Tórshavn, Faroe IslandsDepartment of Educational Psychology, Sernámsdepilin, Frælsinum 32, 100 Tórshavn, Faroe IslandsGillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Kungsgatan 12, 411 19 Gothenburg, SwedenChild and Youth Psychiatry, Psychiatric Department, The National Hospital of the Faroe Islands, J. C. Svabosgøta, 100 Tórshavn, Faroe IslandsGenetic Biobank of the Faroes, Ministry of Health, J. C. Svabosgøta 43, 100 Tórshavn, Faroe IslandsPsychiatric Center, The National Hospital of the Faroe Islands, J. C. Svabosgøta, 100 Tórshavn, Faroe IslandsInstitute of Health and Wellbeing, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Caledonia House, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Yorkhill, Glasgow G3 8SJ, UKGillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Kungsgatan 12, 411 19 Gothenburg, SwedenChildhood autism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been regarded as one of the most stable diagnostic categories applied to young children with psychiatric/developmental disorders. The stability over time of a diagnosis of ASD is theoretically interesting and important for various diagnostic and clinical reasons. We studied the diagnostic stability of ASD from childhood to early adulthood in the Faroe Islands: a total school age population sample (8–17-year-olds) was screened and diagnostically assessed for AD in 2002 and 2009. This paper compares both independent clinical diagnosis and Diagnostic Interview for Social and Communication Disorders (DISCO) algorithm diagnosis at two time points, separated by seven years. The stability of clinical ASD diagnosis was perfect for AD, good for “atypical autism”/PDD-NOS, and less than perfect for Asperger syndrome (AS). Stability of the DISCO algorithm subcategory diagnoses was more variable but still good for AD. Both systems showed excellent stability over the seven-year period for “any ASD” diagnosis, although a number of clear cases had been missed at the original screening in 2002. The findings support the notion that subcategories of ASD should be collapsed into one overarching diagnostic entity with subgrouping achieved on other “non-autism” variables, such as IQ and language levels and overall adaptive functioning.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/592371
spellingShingle Eva Kočovská
Eva Billstedt
Asa Ellefsen
Hanna Kampmann
I. Carina Gillberg
Rannvá Biskupstø
Guðrið Andorsdóttir
Tormóður Stóra
Helen Minnis
Christopher Gillberg
Autism in the Faroe Islands: Diagnostic Stability from Childhood to Early Adult Life
The Scientific World Journal
title Autism in the Faroe Islands: Diagnostic Stability from Childhood to Early Adult Life
title_full Autism in the Faroe Islands: Diagnostic Stability from Childhood to Early Adult Life
title_fullStr Autism in the Faroe Islands: Diagnostic Stability from Childhood to Early Adult Life
title_full_unstemmed Autism in the Faroe Islands: Diagnostic Stability from Childhood to Early Adult Life
title_short Autism in the Faroe Islands: Diagnostic Stability from Childhood to Early Adult Life
title_sort autism in the faroe islands diagnostic stability from childhood to early adult life
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/592371
work_keys_str_mv AT evakocovska autisminthefaroeislandsdiagnosticstabilityfromchildhoodtoearlyadultlife
AT evabillstedt autisminthefaroeislandsdiagnosticstabilityfromchildhoodtoearlyadultlife
AT asaellefsen autisminthefaroeislandsdiagnosticstabilityfromchildhoodtoearlyadultlife
AT hannakampmann autisminthefaroeislandsdiagnosticstabilityfromchildhoodtoearlyadultlife
AT icarinagillberg autisminthefaroeislandsdiagnosticstabilityfromchildhoodtoearlyadultlife
AT rannvabiskupstø autisminthefaroeislandsdiagnosticstabilityfromchildhoodtoearlyadultlife
AT guðriðandorsdottir autisminthefaroeislandsdiagnosticstabilityfromchildhoodtoearlyadultlife
AT tormoðurstora autisminthefaroeislandsdiagnosticstabilityfromchildhoodtoearlyadultlife
AT helenminnis autisminthefaroeislandsdiagnosticstabilityfromchildhoodtoearlyadultlife
AT christophergillberg autisminthefaroeislandsdiagnosticstabilityfromchildhoodtoearlyadultlife