BASC-II Profiles for Puerto Rican Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Background:  The Behavior Assessment System for Children Second Edition, Parent Rating Scales (BASC-2 PRS; Reynolds & Kamphaus, 2004) has been designed to obtain descriptive information from parents about children’s behavior and functioning across several domains. This instrument is also used to aid in the diagnosis and treatment planning process for children and adolescents. Many of these scales can measure deficits commonly associated to a wide range of diagnoses, such as Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). According to the authors, a common profile seen in this population includes lower scores on the Adaptive Skills Composite scale and elevations on the Withdrawal scale, the Atypicality scale and the Developmental Social Disorder content scale (Reynolds & Kamphaus, 2004). Studies on Spanish versions of other screening instruments for ASD have yielded questionable results on their specificity for diverse populations. The purpose of this pilot study is to determine if the Spanish version of the BASC-2  PRS provides a reliable profile to discriminate between children with ASD and children with other disorders, such as Attention Deficit- Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) for the Puerto Rican population. 

Objectives:  To explore and determine if the Spanish version of the BASC-2 PRS can be used to discriminate between children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and peers without the diagnosis in the Puerto Rican population. 

Methods:  Archival data of BASC-2 PRS ratings were reviewed for 30 children, ages 2 through 9 years, who underwent clinical evaluations at a local outpatient center for Autism in Puerto Rico. Data was collected only for children with diagnoses of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) or Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Scores on shared scales available in the BASC-2 Parent Rating Scale for Preschoolers and Children were analyzed for both groups.

Results:  Preliminary data indicated statistically significant elevations (p< .01) for the ASD group on the Withdrawal scale and the Developmental Social Disorders scale, as well as lower scores on the Adaptive Composite. Other scales also showed significant differences, including the Behavioral Symptoms Index and the Emotional Self-Control, Executive Functioning and Resiliency content scales. However, the Atypicality scale did not differ significantly for both groups.

Conclusions:  These findings are generally consistent with the BASC-2 profile associated with ASD, as described by the authors. Surprisingly, this is not true for the Atypicality scale. Using this preliminary data we can conclude that the BASC-2 can be used as a good screening instrument for children with ASD in Puerto Rico. However, sample size characteristics and cultural diversity issues should be closely examined.