The Gilliam Autism Rating Scale is a standardized instrument for the assessment and diagnosis of autism and other behavioral conditions (GARS). It relies on parental or teacher reports regarding the child’s presentation and behavior and is a quick measure to administer. Furthermore, no significant training is necessary. Nonetheless, some studies suggest a tendency to “miss” children who would otherwise meet the diagnostic criteria for an autism spectrum disorder (Lecavalier 2005; South et al. 2002).
The scale was revised (GARS-2) in 2006 and based on the DSM-IV-TR (American Psychiatric Association 2000) and Autism Society of America definitions of autism. The core items (42) on the three subscales were retained in the revised version, although some minor changes in wording were made.
The GARS-2 relies on parental rating of directly observed behaviors and.
