Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers

The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) is a psychological questionnaire that evaluates risk for autism spectrum disorder in children ages 16–30 months. The 20-question test is filled out by the parent, and a follow-up portion is available for children who are classified as medium- to high-risk for autism spectrum disorder. Children who score in the medium to high-risk zone may not necessarily meet criteria for a diagnosis. The checklist is designed so that primary care physicians can interpret it immediately and easily. The M-CHAT has shown fairly good reliability and validity in assessing child autism symptoms in recent studies. The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) is a psychological questionnaire that evaluates risk for autism spectrum disorder in children ages 16–30 months. The 20-question test is filled out by the parent, and a follow-up portion is available for children who are classified as medium- to high-risk for autism spectrum disorder. Children who score in the medium to high-risk zone may not necessarily meet criteria for a diagnosis. The checklist is designed so that primary care physicians can interpret it immediately and easily. The M-CHAT has shown fairly good reliability and validity in assessing child autism symptoms in recent studies. The first section of the M-CHAT identifies 20 behavioral characteristics of the autism spectrum and asks if the child has experienced any of them. If the parent reports a sufficient number of characteristics for the child in this section, a follow-up form outlining specific questions pertaining to that characteristic would be administered by the researcher. It does not have to be completed for characteristics the child does not possess. The follow-up form asks questions based on a flow-chart format, ultimately categorizing the child as “pass” or “fail” for each characteristic.