Validation of Assamese Version of Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) Tool for Early Detection of Developmental Delay and Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Researchers validated an Assamese-language screening tool to identify developmental delays and autism in young children. The tool was tested on 139 children and showed high accuracy - correctly identifying about 94% of children with developmental delays and 90% with autism. This gives Assamese-speaking families access to early screening in their native language, which could lead to earlier support and intervention for children who need it.

This cross-sectional validation study developed and tested an Assamese translation of India's RBSK screening tool for developmental delay (ages 1-72 months) and autism spectrum disorder (ages 15-24 months). Among 139 children with mean age 30.5 months, the tool demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy when compared to established reference standards (DP-3 for developmental delay, AIIMS-Modified INDT-ASD for autism). For developmental delay screening, sensitivity was 94.1% and specificity 84.9%. For autism screening, sensitivity was 89.5% and specificity 93.8%.

Agreement with reference tools was strong (Cohen's kappa = 0.85 and 0.83 respectively), with excellent discriminative performance indicated by AUROC values of 0.94 for developmental delay and 0.92 for autism screening.

Provides validated, culturally appropriate screening tool for Assamese-speaking communities, potentially improving early identification rates. High diagnostic accuracy supports clinical utility for primary care and community health settings. May reduce language barriers in developmental and autism screening.

Single-site cross-sectional study with modest sample size (n=139). Limited to specific age ranges and geographic population. Long-term outcomes and real-world implementation effectiveness not assessed. Unclear if sample was representative of broader Assamese-speaking population.

To develop and validate the Assamese version of the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) screening tool for developmental delay (1-72 months) and autism (15-24 months) and to assess its diagnostic accuracy in comparison with the Developmental Profile-3 (DP-3) and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)-Modified INCLEN Diagnostic Tool for autism spectrum disorder (INDT-ASD). A cross-sectional study was conducted from January to December 2024 at a tertiary care hospital in India. The RBSK screening tool for developmental delay and autism was translated into Assamese through a standardized process involving forward translation, back-translation, expert review, and pilot testing (n = 10). Children aged 1-72 months were recruited from the outpatient department.

Developmental delay was assessed using the Developmental Profile-3 (DP-3) and ASD in children aged 15-24 months using the AIIMS-Modified INCLEN Diagnostic Tool for Autism Spectrum Disorder (INDT-ASD) tool. Diagnostic accuracy was assessed by calculating sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, Cohen's kappa statistic, and area under receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curves. A total of 139 children with mean (SD) age 30.5 (12.2 months) were enrolled. The Assamese version of the RBSK screening tool demonstrated a sensitivity and specificity of 94.1% and 84.9%, respectively, for developmental delay, and 89.5% and 93.8%, respectively, for ASD.

Agreement with reference tools was high (Cohen's kappa = 0.85 for DP-3, 0.83 for AIIMS-Modified INDT-ASD). The tool showed excellent discriminative performance with AUROC (95%CI) of 0.94 (0.89, 0.98) for developmental delay and 0.92 (0.85, 0.98) for ASD. The validated Assamese version of the RBSK screening tool for developmental delay and autism is an accurate screening tool in Assamese-speaking population.