Screening Children for Autism Spectrum Disorders in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Experiences from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Sayyed Ali Samadi, Roy McConkey, Hana Nuri, Amir Abdullah, Lizan Ahmad, Barez Abdalla and Cemal A. Biçak
Additional contact information
Sayyed Ali Samadi: Institute of Nursing Research, Ulster University, Newtownabbey BT37 0QB, Northern Ireland, UK
Roy McConkey: Institute of Nursing Research, Ulster University, Newtownabbey BT37 0QB, Northern Ireland, UK
Hana Nuri: Evaluation Unit, Bahoz Center for Children with Developmental Disabilities, Erbil 44000, The Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Iraq
Amir Abdullah: Evaluation Unit, Bahoz Center for Children with Developmental Disabilities, Erbil 44000, The Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Iraq
Lizan Ahmad: Evaluation Unit, Bahoz Center for Children with Developmental Disabilities, Erbil 44000, The Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Iraq
Barez Abdalla: Evaluation Unit, Bahoz Center for Children with Developmental Disabilities, Erbil 44000, The Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Iraq
Cemal A. Biçak: Evaluation Unit, Bahoz Center for Children with Developmental Disabilities, Erbil 44000, The Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Iraq

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 8, 1-10

Abstract: Screening tools for the early identification of developmental disabilities are strongly advised, yet culturally valid tools are not readily available for use in low- and middle-income countries. The present study describes the context and the processes used to develop a suitable screening procedure for use in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. This was based on an autism rating scale—GARS-3—developed in the USA for use primarily with children’s parents. It was administered to three groups of children: those with a pre-existing diagnosis of ASD; those with a confirmed diagnosis of a developmental disability; and those who were typically developing—735 participants in all. The 10 items from the 58 items in the full GARS-3 scale that best discriminated the three groups of children were identified. Subsequent analysis confirmed that the ten-item summary scores had reasonable internal reliabilities, with a good specificity and sensitivity in distinguishing children with ASD from those that were typically developing but less so for children with other developmental disabilities. The study confirms the universality of autism symptoms but also the different emphasis Kurdish parents may place on them. Nevertheless, screening procedures need to be developed in the context of support services that can undertake follow-up diagnostic assessments and provide suitable interventions for use by parents to promote their child’s development. The study provides an example of how this can be possible in low- and middle-income countries.

Keywords: autism spectrum disorders (ASD); autism; screening; developmental disabilities; low- and middle-income countries; LMIC; Kurdistan; Iraq (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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