What is the purpose of M-CHAT-R/F and what does a positive screen indicate?

• A. It screens for language delay only.
• B. It screens for autism spectrum disorder; a positive screen indicates no risk.
• C. It screens for autism spectrum disorder; a positive screen indicates increased risk and warrants further evaluation.
• D. It screens for vision problems.

Answer: (C)

M-CHAT-R/F is a screening tool used with toddlers to identify those who may be at increased risk for autism spectrum disorder, guiding whether a more comprehensive evaluation is needed. The positive result signals higher likelihood of ASD and prompts a follow-up clinical assessment to confirm diagnosis or rule it out; it is not itself a diagnosis. The Follow-Up interview portion helps clarify ambiguous responses, reducing false positives. A negative screen lowers the probability of ASD but does not completely rule it out. It is not a screen for language delay or for vision problems.