Factor analysis of the autism spectrum screening questionnaire in a population-based child sample.
Nord J Psychiatry 2023;
77:696-705. [PMID:
37355342 DOI:
10.1080/08039488.2023.2225060]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE
The aim of this study was to investigate several possible factor structures of the Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We used the 27-item screening tool for school-aged children in a general population of 8-year-old children (n = 3,538) and compared the occurring solutions to previously published factor models.
RESULTS
A one-factor solution and a four-factor solution were identified in Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and confirmed with Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), while two-, three-, five- and six-factor solutions were rejected. In CFA, our four-factor solution showed the best goodness-of-fit indexes when compared with factor models previously presented by Posserud et al. and Ehlers et al.
CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate a strong underlying connection between all ASSQ items which is elicited by the one-factor solution. Although as a screening tool, ASSQ is functioning with the unifactorial solution, the four factors can help to identify certain clusters of autism spectrum traits.
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