ADAPT: Approach to Dance for Autism

The change in scores on the DCDQ at baseline and weeks 6 and 12 of the BFAK program.

The DCDQ is a 15 item questionnaire designed to screen for coordination challenges in children from 5 to 15 years old and has long been used in children with ASD. It comprises 3 subscales: (1) Control during movement (scale 9-45), (2) Fine Motor/Handwriting (scale 11-55), and (3) General Coordination (scale 10-50).

Scores are calculated by weighting the domains as follows: (Control during movement/30) + (Fine Motor/Handwriting/20) + (General Coordination/25) = TOTAL, reported as a range from 15-75. Higher scores indicate better coordination.

For Children Ages 5 years 0 months to 7 years 11 months: 5-46 indication of DCD or suspect DCD; 47-75 probably not DCD

For Children Ages 8 yrs 0 mos to 9 yrs 11 mos: 15-55 indication of DCD or suspect DCD; 56-75 probably not DCD

For Children Ages 10 yrs 0 mos to 15 yrs: 15-57 indication of DCD or suspect DCD; 58-75 probably not DCD

The difference in participants' scores on the Pediatric Balance scale at baseline and week 12.

The Pediatric Balance Scale is a 14-item questionnaire that prompts children to complete certain movements such as standing unsupported, turning 360 degrees, and retrieving an object from the floor. Completion of movements are scored on a scale from 0 to 4. Full scale is scored 0-56, with higher scores corresponding to more advanced motor skills.

The difference in participants' scores on the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC) at baseline and week 12.

The MABC is a standardized tool used to identify and describe motor impairments in children. It assesses fine and gross motor skills across everyday movement domains, and is commonly used for diagnosing Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) and related difficulties. The MABC is divided into three domains: (1) Manual Dexterity (0-15), (2) Aiming & Catching (0-10), (3) Balance (0-15).

Full scale is scored from 0-40 as a sum of the three domains. A higher total score indicates greater motor difficulty/impairment. Lower scores indicate better motor competence.

The difference in participants' scores on self-reports of the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) at baseline, week and completion of the BFAK program.

The ABC is a 58-item scale designed to assess the impact of treatment on various presentations and behaviors of developmental disorders and has been widely used in children with ASD. The ABC is divided into five main subscales: Irritability/Agitation/Crying (0-45), Lethargy/Social Withdrawal (0-48), Stereotypic Behavior (0-21), Hyperactivity/Noncompliance (0-48), and Inappropriate Speech (0-12). Total score ranges from 0 to 174. Higher scores indicate more severe problems.

The difference in SNAP-IV scores on self-reports at baseline and week 6, completion.

The SNAP-IV is a DSM-based symptom rating scale commonly used to assess ADHD symptoms (Inattention; Hyperactivity/Impulsivity) with an optional Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) domain. Total score ranges from 0 to 78 on the 26-item version (higher scores indicate greater symptom severity). The SNAP-IV is divided into three subscales: Inattention (0-27), Hyperactivity/Impulsivity (0-27), and Oppositional Defiant (0-24). If using only the 18 ADHD items, the ADHD Total ranges from 0 to 54. Higher scores indicate more severe problems.

The difference in active participation across attended classes as measured by in-house designed rubrics completed by volunteers at each class.