International Meeting for Autism Research (London, May 15-17, 2008): ADOS and ADI-R Research Training in Taiwan

Friday, May 16, 2008

Champagne Terrace/Bordeaux (Novotel London West)

9:30 AM

L. C. Lee , Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD

C. E. Rice , Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Atlanta, GA

J. Olson , Center for Young Children with Autism, J. Olson Consulting Group, Wilmette, IL

B. C. Shu , National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan

P. Yang , Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Y. Y. Wu , Department of Child Psychiatry, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taiwan

C. H. Chiang , Department of Psychology, National Chung Cheng University, Taiwan

F. W. Lung , Calo Psychiatric Hospital, Taiwan

Background: Research reliable administrators of autism diagnostic instruments are greatly needed in Chinese-speaking regions to foster autism research in Chinese-speaking populations.

Objectives: To report on process and procedures of conducting Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) and Autism Diagnostic Interview–Revised (ADI-R) research training in Chinese Mandarin.

Methods: The ADOS and ADI-R protocols and ADOS manual were translated into Chinese Mandarin. Chinese-translated materials along with English training materials were provided to trainees in advance. Trainees, who are psychiatrists and clinical psychologists, study the English and Chinese versions of ADOS and ADI-R materials in order to get acquainted with them. In February 2008, two English-speaking primary trainers and three bilingual assistant trainers will work together to train 18 trainees. Live demonstrations will be performed in Chinese Mandarin by the bilingual assistant trainers and orally translated to English-speaking trainers simultaneously. Trainees will be broken into small groups for training, each group being led by a primary trainer accompanied with an assistant trainer to facilitate communication between trainers and trainees.

Results: A workshop and four months of weekly study sessions were conducted before the training to orient trainees to training materials. Extended time for training is expected given that simultaneous oral translation is needed, both from English to Chinese as well as Chinese to English. It is more practical and feasible to have bilingual research reliable staff rate trainees’ research reliability videos rather than English-speaking trainers.

Conclusions: ADOS and ADI-R research training in Chinese is a challenge for many reasons including language barriers and unknown cultural applicability of these instruments. Required research reliability can be reached; however, enormous effort and time are needed. Cultural adaption may not be a one-time task occurring during translation, as need for more adaption may be recognized and recommended after more experience is gained from ADOS and ADI-R administration.

See more of: Epidemiology Posters
See more of: Poster Presentations