The DSM-III-R field trial of pervasive developmental disorders.

This article describes the method and results of a national field trial of the proposed criteria for the DSM-III-R diagnosis of autistic disorder at 11 sites which have experience in diagnosing pervasive developmental disorders. Using the diagnosis of autistic disorder made by expert clinicians as a standard, the diagnostic criteria that were finally included in DSM-III-R demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity across different age groups and in children with and without language.