The effects of training pediatric medical practitioners to use autism screening tools to improve the early detection of autism spectrum disorders

The purpose of this study was to increase early detection of autism spectrum disorders in pediatric practice. The Early Developmental Screening training package was developed to (a) increase knowledge of early detection and (b) increase the use of autism screens. Twenty pediatric professionals in Bermuda participated in this study. There were two conditions in this study: the experimental condition and the control condition. The experimental group received a 3-hour comprehensive training package and the control group received a 45-minute awareness session. All participants completed a knowledge test at pre-training and post-training and a weekly screening practice form for 12 weeks. Results indicated that the experimental group used the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers significantly more than the control group.