Objectives: The Child Behavior Checklist is used to assess behavioral problems in a large unselected sample of children. In the present study we assess the usefulness of the CBCL in the evaluation of the typical behavioral problems usually reported in children with developmental disorders.
Methods: We examined two groups of children which both had language or communication problems. The first group consisted of 34 children with infantile autism, the second group consisted of 34 age-, sex- and IQ-matched children with a specific developmental speech and language disorder. The CBCL was filled out by the parents in both groups as part of the routine diagnostic procedures.
Results: Half of the language-impaired children have Total Behavioral Problem scores within the clinical range. Problems are mainly reported on the scales: "Attention Problems", "Social Problems" and "Withdrawn". Two-thirds of the autistic children have deviant scores on the syndrome scales mentioned above. 32 out of 34 autistic children score within the clinical range on the scale "Thought Problems", whereas only one language-impaired child does so. Single item analysis shows a high prevalence of developmental problems (speech problems, enuresis ...) in both groups.
Conclusion: The CBCL records characteristic behavioral problems in children with developmental disorders. The problematic behaviors are shown on the syndrome scale level as well as on the single item level. Children with developmental disorders and high scores on the "Thought Problems" scale of the CBCL should be evaluated for the presence of a possible pervasive developmental disorder.