The Brief Observation of Symptoms of Autism (BOSA): Development of a New Adapted Assessment Measure for Remote Telehealth Administration Through COVID-19 and Beyond
Deanna Dow, Alison Holbrook, Christina Toolan, Nicole M. McDonald, Kyle Sterrett, Nicole Rosen, So Hyun Kim, Catherine Lord
Abstract
Interest in telehealth assessment for autism has increased due to COVID-19 and subsequent expansion of remote psychological services, though options that are easy for clinicians to adopt and available through the lifespan are limited. The Brief Observation of Symptoms of Autism (BOSA) provides a social context with standardized materials and activities that can be coded by clinicians trained in the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule. The current project examined psychometric properties to determine optimal use for each BOSA version. Three hundred and seven participants with 453 BOSAs were included to determine best performing items for algorithms, validity, sensitivity, specificity, recommended cut-offs, and proposed ranges of concern. While preliminary, the BOSA provides a promising new option for telehealth-administered assessment for autism.