Brief Description
The Childhood Autism Spectrum Test - Parent (CAST), formerly known as the Childhood Asperger Syndrome Test, is a parent questionnaire designed to assess symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and social communication problems among children aged 4 to 11 years. The CAST was developed to be sensitive to autism spectrum conditions in the mainstream school population (i.e., for use predominantly in children with cognitive ability in the average range). Respondents rate whether their child engages in the ASD symptoms listed (e.g., “Does s/he join in playing games with other children easily?”) on a Yes/No scale.
Assessment Administration Type
Parent/caregiver report
Number of questions
39
Age Range for Administration
Parents of children ages 4 to 11 years old
Recommended Frequency of Administration
No standardized frequency; Blueprint recommends using the CAST as a screening tool.
Summary of Scoring and Interpretations
The CAST contains 39 questions scored on a Yes/No (0/1, depending on the item) scale. 6 items (items 3, 4, 12, 22, 26, 33) are “controls,” and thus not included when calculating the score; in addition, the last two items comprise a “Special Needs” section and are not included in the total score. A total score is calculated by summing the item responses for the remaining 31 items and ranges from 0 to 31; higher scores are associated with higher levels of, or more severe, ASD symptoms/social and communication difficulties. The CAST clinical cut-off score is 15 for possible ASD or related social-communication difficulties (scores below 14 are indicative of fewer symptoms related to social-communication difficulties).
See table below for specific items and whether the Yes or No response receives a score of 1.
Response worth 1 point | Item number |
Yes | 6, 7, 9, 14, 18, 19, 20, 25, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 36, 37 |
No | 1, 2, 5, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 16, 17, 21, 23, 24, 27, 31, 35 |
Blueprint Adjustments
Blueprint’s CAST measure has 39 questions; it is the original measure with the 37 questions plus the last two at the end as part of the “Special Needs” section.
Clinical Considerations
Estimated completion time: 9-15 minutes
ASD can sometimes be detected at 18 months of age or younger. By age 2, a diagnosis by an experienced professional can be considered reliable. However, many do not receive a final diagnosis until much older. This delay means that people with ASD might not get the early help they need. Screening for ASD, using measures such as the CAST, may bring the age of diagnosis earlier. Earlier diagnosis may be desirable for a number of reasons: to allow time for genetic counseling, to initiate parental support, and to allow for earlier intervention.
Citation
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