The ICF Core Set for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) ( https://www.icf-research-branch.org/icf ... m-spectrum ) is a long-term survey of ASD experts to develop a list of features which are associated with alternations in cognitive and emotional functioning, high rates of psychiatric co-morbidity, relationship problems, poor adaptive skills and lower reported quality of life.
The first of four studies, “Ability and Disability in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Literature Review Employing the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health-Children and Youth Version” ( http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1 ... .1485/full ), was published online on March 28, 2015. Seventy-one studies were included in the final analysis and 2475 meaningful concepts contained in these studies were linked to 146 ICF-CY categories. Of these, 99 categories were considered most relevant to ASD (i.e., identified in at least 5% of the studies), of which 63 were related to Activities and Participation, 28 were related to Body functions, and 8 were related to Environmental factors. The five most frequently identified categories were basic interpersonal interactions (51%), emotional functions (49%), complex interpersonal interactions (48%), attention functions (44%), and mental functions of language (44%).
The second of four studies, “Functioning and disability in autism spectrum disorder: A worldwide survey of experts” ( http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1 ... .1592/full ), was published online on Jan. 8, 2016. Two-hundred twenty-five experts from 10 different disciplines and all six WHO-regions completed the survey. Meaningful concepts from the responses were linked to 210 ICF(-CY) categories. Of these, 103 categories were considered most relevant to ASD (i.e., identified by at least 5% of the experts), of which 37 were related to Activities and Participation, 35 to Body functions, 22 to Environmental factors, and 9 to Body structures. A variety of personal characteristics and ASD-related functioning skills were provided by experts, including honesty, loyalty, attention to detail and creative talents. Reported gender differences in ASD comprised more externalizing behaviors among males and more internalizing behaviors in females.
The results of these four preparatory studies will be presented at an international consensus conference, a multi-stage, iterative, decision-making and consensus process that is expected to take place in September 2016. At this consensus conference, ASD experts from different countries worldwide and working in a broad range of professions will decide which ICF categories should be included in the first version of the ICF Core Sets for ASD.
09 Jan 2016, 10:46 am
