Behavioral assessment of psychopathology in children: infantile autism.

The utility of a subtest of 14 items from the Children's Psychiatric Rating Scale (CPRS) for evaluating psychopathology in autistic children was examined. A series of 180 autistic children, who satisfied the DSM-III criteria for Infantile Autism, Full Syndrome Present, were rated on the CPRS. A series of children with conduct disorder diagnoses were added to provide a contrast group for investigating specificity of behavioral manifestations with regard to autism. Multivariate analysis was used to elucidate major behavioral dimensions, to identify distinct subtypes, and to evaluate discriminant validity of the CPRS behavioral ratings.