Preterm Study Found Diagnostic Tool Discordance
Researchers identified a significant discrepancy between diagnostic tests for children born before 32 weeks of gestation.
Updated on Sept. 30, 2026 in Autism
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A study of 74 children born very preterm revealed that diagnostic results often conflict when using the ADOS-2 test versus DSM-5 criteria. Researchers found that 59% of the cohort showed discordance between these two common diagnostic methods.
Why it matters
Understanding this diagnostic gap is critical for clinicians because current tests can yield inconsistent results for high-risk preterm children. The study suggests that DSM-5 criteria may provide a more reliable alignment with behavioral scores like the SRS and SDQ.
The cohort included 74 children born before 32 weeks of gestation, assessed at 4 to 6 years of age. While 26% of cases were concordant across diagnostic tools, 59% were discordant, and 15% were negative.
The details
Researchers performed a cluster analysis to compare neurodevelopmental and behavioral profiles, finding no significant differences in perinatal backgrounds or developmental quotients between groups. The data indicate that the DSM-5 classification aligns more closely with SRS and SDQ scores than the ADOS-2 test.
Timeline
Children were assessed between 4 and 6 years of age.
The Big Picture
The study evaluates the application of the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder in specific vulnerable populations, showing how clinical standards perform in real-world cohorts. This research highlights the need to validate established diagnostic frameworks across diverse developmental profiles.
Parents of children born very preterm may face inconsistent diagnostic results depending on which clinical tool their specialist utilizes. Families should discuss the alignment of various assessments with their healthcare provider to better understand their childs behavioral profile.
The takeaway
Clinicians must be aware that traditional diagnostic tools may perform differently for children born very preterm. Relying on multiple behavioral measures alongside standardized tests can help ensure a more accurate representation of a childs development.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest research and clinical standards in Autism.
More information
View the complete peer-reviewed research article for further methodological details.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Nature.
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