Joint Attention

merged.social_communal.joint_attention

Socialmeasurable16mo–2.5y

Measured by 2 instruments· Cross-instrument confidence:

What this is

Ability to coordinate attention with another person toward an object or event, including following gaze and pointing, and initiating shared attention

Instrument	Approach	Age range	Mapping confidence	Ref
M-CHAT-R/F Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised, with Follow-Up	Parent screening report Subscale: Autism risk indicators	16mo–2.5y		q1
M-CHAT-R/F Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised, with Follow-Up	Parent screening report Subscale: Autism risk indicators	16mo–2.5y		q16

“Approach” describes how the instrument assesses this construct, not the specific items. We never reproduce proprietary test items.

Consensus window: 16mo–2.5y (all 2 instruments overlap).

Baseline: developmental_24mo_en_gbAge: 2yLocale: en-GBTone: mixed

“If you point across the room or glance over at something, does {child_name} turn to see what's caught your attention?”

Follow-up: “Does {he_she} follow a point across the room, or mainly things close by?”

Not yet

Looks at your finger rather than where you're pointing, or doesn't turn

Emerging

Follows a point to nearby things

Developing

Follows a point across the room to the right target

Secure

Follows both a point and a shift of your gaze to the target

The same canonical item shows up on the developmental page with prerequisites, activities, and full developmental context.

M-CHAT-R/F
Robins, D.L., Casagrande, K., Barton, M., Chen, C.M., Dumont-Mathieu, T., Fein, D. (2014). Validation of the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised With Follow-Up (M-CHAT-R/F)
doi:10.1542/peds.2013-1813