M-CHAT Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers

Lexicon [Measures] - M-CHAT 

The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised (M-CHAT-R) is a screening tool to identify early signs of autism  in toddlers. The M-CHAT-R is a caregiver-reported questionnaire that assesses the presence of behaviors associated with ASD in toddlers aged 16 to 30 months. It is intended to screen for potential developmental concerns and determine the need for further evaluation.

Limitations

The M-CHAT-R has some limitations, including the potential for false positives or false negatives, as it is a screening tool rather than a diagnostic instrument. It relies on caregiver-reported information, which may be subject to biases or inaccuracies.

Measure, Scoring & Interpretation
The M-CHAT-R is typically administered by a clinician or early intervention specialist.  It consists of 20  items that cover different areas of development, including social communication, joint attention, play, and repetitive behaviors. Caregivers indicate whether the behaviors are observed in their child or not (scored as 1 for Yes and 0 for No). The total score is calculated by summing the scores across all items. 

The M-CHAT-R also includes a follow-up interview with additional questions to further explore areas of concern. Scoring and interpretation guidelines are provided with specific cutoff scores to identify children who may be at risk for ASD and require further evaluation.

History, Limitations, and Revisions
The M-CHAT-R is an updated version of the original M-CHAT,. It was developed by Diana Robins, Deborah Fein, and Marianne Barton in 2009. 

Citation:
Robins, D. L., Fein, D., & Barton, M. L. (2009). The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised (M-CHAT-R). Retrieved from https://mchatscreen.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/M-CHAT-R.pdf