Validation of the French version of the preschool form of the social responsiveness scale-second edition (SRS-2-P)

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the French form of the preschool social responsiveness scale-2 (SRS-2-P-Fr). PARTICIPANTS: A sample of French children aged 2 to 4 years comprising a group of 93 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and a community control group of 201 children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Study of internal consistency using Cronbach's α coefficient, convergent validity using correlations with the ADI-R and ADOS-2, and diagnostic accuracy using the receiver operating characteristic curve to determine the best threshold scores useful for screening ASD in preschool children. RESULTS: Good internal consistency (0.78 to 0.98) according to Cronbach's alpha coefficients for the total score and the sub-scores of the SRS-2-P scale. The study of convergent validity showed strong correlations with the total score of the ADOS-2 Toddlers and the communication and reciprocal social interaction sub-scores of the ADI-R. Diagnostic accuracy indicated that the best cut-off score for detecting ASDs was 56 (area under the curve=0.97, sensitivity 0.925, specificity 0.98). CONCLUSION: The SRS-2-P-Fr is a valid instrument for the early detection of ASD in preschool children in France and can facilitate diagnosis.