Quantitative Scale for Assessing Childhood Autism, QSACA Test - the question form
Questions: 10 · 2 minutes
1. Communication difficulties.
1 – These signs are absent.
1.5 – Shows one to two of the listed signs very rarely; otherwise behavior remains within normal limits.
2 – Three to four signs are present but the child does not show them in all situations.
2.5 – One to two signs are clearly present and occur often.
3 – Three to four signs are clearly present and occur often.
3.5 – These signs make contact with the child intermittent and mostly productive only for activities the child currently wants to do.
4 – These signs make contact with the child impossible for engaging them in purposeful activity.
2. Impairment in ability to engage in shared activity.
1 – No signs of impairment are present.
1.5 – Shows 1–2 of the listed signs very rarely; otherwise behavior remains within normal limits.
2 – Three or four signs are present, but the child does not show them in all situations.
2.5 – One or two signs are clearly present and occur often.
3 – The signs are fully present and constant, but with adult persistence the child can repeat something or follow instructions.
3.5 – These signs make the child productive only in the activity the child wants to do at the moment.
4 – These signs indicate that the child cannot be engaged in shared activity.
3. Impaired understanding of social rules and roles.
1 – These features are absent.
1.5 – Shows one to two of the listed features very rarely; otherwise behavior remains within normal limits.
2 – Three to four features are observed, and the child does not show them in all situations.
2.5 – One to two features are clearly present and occur often.
3 – These features are present fully and consistently, but with persistent adult guidance the child can correct behavior and follow rules; however, without organizing influence the child again ignores rules.
3.5 – These features make it difficult to attend public events with the child or for the child to be in a group of children.
4 – These features make the child’s behavior unmanageable.
4. Abnormalities in speech structure and language development.
1 – These signs are absent.
1.5 – Shows one to two of the listed signs very rarely; otherwise, behavior remains within normal limits.
2 – Three to four signs are present, and the child does not show them in all situations.
2.5 – One to two signs are clearly present and occur frequently.
3 – The specified signs are present to the full extent, but the child’s speech is generally understandable.
3.5 – The specified signs make the child’s speech difficult to understand.
4 – The specified signs make the child’s speech meaningless.
5. Impairment in dialogue.
1 – These signs are absent.
1.5 – Shows 1–2 of the listed signs very rarely; otherwise behavior is within normal limits.
2 – Shows 3–4 signs, which the child does not display in all situations.
2.5 – 1–2 signs are clearly present and occur often.
3 – These signs are present in full, but the child understands simple adult instructions and can carry them out.
3.5 – These signs interfere with interaction with the child; the child often does not follow instructions, and it is difficult to obtain the expected response.
4 – These signs make dialogue impossible.
6. Adaptation to change
1 – These signs are absent.
1.5 – Shows one to two of the listed signs very rarely; otherwise behavior remains within normal limits.
2 – Three to four signs are observed; the child does not show them in all situations.
2.5 – One to two of the described signs are clearly present and occur consistently, but the child will accept changes when necessary and needs advance explanation of what the possible changes will be.
3 – The described signs are present to a full extent to some degree.
3.5 – The described signs are so pronounced that the child shows protest reactions (active or passive) to any changes.
4 – The child reacts extremely strongly to changes, up to and including aggression.
7. Presence of stereotyped behaviors.
1 – These features are absent.
1.5 – One to two of the listed features are present very rarely; otherwise, behavior remains within normal limits.
2 – Three to four features are observed, but not consistently; the child accepts changes in activity and shows interest in other games and skills if an adult introduces and teaches them.
2.5 – Three to four features are clearly present and occur constantly, but the child allows changes when necessary; the child experiences discomfort and waits for an opportunity to return to the overvalued interest.
3 – These features are present to a full extent to some degree; in learning activities, productivity is higher in the area of special interest (uneven intellectual development).
3.5 – Restricted, repetitive interests interfere with learning new things; in cognitive activities, development is mainly focused on a special interest; attempts by adults to intrude on or redirect the child’s interests provoke oppositional reactions. Stereotyped motor movements are present but occur only when the child is left alone and not engaged in any activity.
4 – The child actively resists any interruption of stereotyped behavior; marked stereotyped hand movements and repetitive jumping are present (including in public places); the child needs this during structured activities.
8. Presence of fears.
1 – These signs are absent.
1.5 – Very mild: one to two signs occur rarely.
2 – Three to four signs are identified intermittently.
2.5 – Three to four signs are clearly identified; one to two are very frequent.
3 – Three to four signs are identified and are consistently present.
3.5 – All signs are present all of the time.
4 – The child is not cautious and appears to have no fear at all; there is no sense of self-preservation.
9. Sleep disturbances.
1 – These signs are absent.
1.5 – Sleep is disturbed rarely, only in connection with marked emotional overload.
2 – Two to three signs are observed rarely.
2.5 – One to two signs are observed frequently.
3 – Two to three signs are observed frequently.
3.5 – All signs are clearly present and occur, alternating with one another.
4 – Sleep disturbances are present continuously over a long period (more than 3 months). As a result, the child has become less productive in activities and is more fatigued, disinhibited, or easily excitable.
10. Aggression and self-injurious behavior.
1 – These signs are absent.
1.5 – Shows 1–2 of the listed signs very rarely; otherwise behavior is within normal limits.
2 – Two to three signs are observed, and the child does not show them in all situations.
2.5 – One to two signs are often observed.
3 – These signs are present to some degree in full.
3.5 – These signs make it impossible for the child to remain in a group of children.
4 – These signs make the child’s behavior unmanageable.