This scoping review surveys screening and diagnostic tools developed or adapted for Indian populations. The authors map instruments such as ISAA, INDT-ASD, CASI, and various parent-report checklists across languages and states, and evaluate reported reliability, validity, and contexts of use. The paper’s principal message is that cultural and language adaptation matters: items, norms, and administration methods developed for Western contexts may not perform the same in India unless carefully adapted and validated.
The review documents strengths — certain tools show good sensitivity in urban clinical samples — but also major limitations: many instruments were validated in small samples, in limited geographic areas, or only in a single language. Few tools have norms that cover India’s linguistic and socio-economic diversity; rural populations and low-literacy caregivers remain underrepresented. The authors recommend stepwise priorities:
- broaden validation studies to multiple states and community samples,
- improve translation and cultural adaptation processes, and
- create short screening forms usable by primary healthcare workers and Anganwadi/ICDS staff.
Practical takeaways for website users: when linking to or recommending screening instruments for Indian families, note whether the tool has been validated in Indian contexts and what the intended age/language is. For implementers, invest in training and pilot testing when introducing a tool into a new region or language group.
Suggested citation: Assessment Tools for ASD Developed in India: A Scoping Review.