ERIC Number: EJ1460708
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Feb
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0162-3257
EISSN: EISSN-1573-3432
Available Date: 2024-04-02
Clinician Opinions Regarding the Usefulness of the BOSA for ASD Assessment in a Service for Children Aged under 12 Years
Sophie Shapter1; Amy Carroll1; Kate Roberts2
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, v55 n2 p727-738 2025
The COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent social distancing policies forced healthcare teams to drastically alter the way they deliver services. This was particularly challenging for clinicians involved in diagnosing autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as assessment tools and methods required face-to-face social interactions between clinicians and children. To address this, the Brief Observation of Symptoms of Autism (BOSA) was developed to ensure that people suspected of ASD can receive diagnostic assessments during the pandemic. This project aimed to explore clinicians' opinions on the BOSA, particularly regarding the usefulness of the assessment for clinicians to clarify diagnostic outcomes of ASD assessments. Both quantitative and qualitative data was gathered within an NHS community paediatric team. This included a questionnaire for clinicians to complete, and data from the BOSA assessments done in the service. Thematic analysis and descriptive statistics revealed that many clinicians felt that the BOSA can be beneficial in certain cases, such as selective mutism, and found the BOSA particularly helpful for observing parent-child interactions. These findings highlighted important information that the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule Second Edition (ADOS-2) does not give opportunities to observe. Clinicians reported that at times, the BOSA materials, brevity and parental administration created barriers to gathering information for diagnostic decisions. As may be expected, clinicians showed a clear preference for the more familiar and validated ADOS-2. However, the study highlights perceived limitations of the ADOS-2 and strengths of the BOSA, with recommendations made for future practice and research.
Descriptors: Autism Spectrum Disorders, Observation, Diagnostic Tests, Test Validity, Children, Mental Health Workers, Opinions, Preferences, Clinical Diagnosis, Delivery Systems, Teleconferencing, COVID-19, Pandemics
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwich, UK; 2Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust, Oak Tree Centre, Huntingdon, UK