Development and validation of the Autism Communicative Skills Questionnaire (ACSQ): An autism screening measure in Farsi

Abstract

There has been a steady increase in the number of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) worldwide. However, screening tools that focus primarily on communicative development that are culturally sensitive and linguistically appropriate are needed, particularly in languages, such as Farsi, which is spoken in countries that may benefit from additional resources. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to develop and validate a screening tool, written in Farsi by Iranians, that focuses on communication and factors affecting the development of communication for children with autism. A variety of statistical analyses were conducted and implemented to assess the relevance of various questions related to communication, along with other behaviors that interfere with the development of communication, that may distinguish between children with and without ASD. Exploratory factor analysis was performed to examine the underlying structure of the Autism Communicative Skills Questionnaire (ACSQ). This study represents the first stage in the development of a comprehensive questionnaire to assist with the screening of areas that impact the development of social communication and are unique to ASD.

Keywords:

• Assessment
• autism spectrum disorder
• communication
• screening questionnaire

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all the experts and the parents who participated in the present study.

Author contributions

Zahra Soleymani: conceptualization. Zahra Soleymani, Fereshteh Mohammadzaheri, and Enayatollah Bakhshi: methodology. Fereshteh Mohammadzaheri, Mohammadreza Peyghambari, Mohadese Bajalan, and Ali Naderi Malek: investigation. Fereshteh Mohammadzaheri, Zahra Soleymani, Lynn Kern Koegel, Mohammadreza Peyghambari, Mohadese Bajalan, and Ali Naderi Malek: writing—original draft. Zahra Soleymani, Lynn Kern Koegel, and Enayatollah Bakhshi: writing—review and editing. Zahra Soleymani: supervision.

Ethical approval

This article originated from a research project approved by the Ethics Committee of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran (Ethical code: IR.TUMS.FNM.REC.1399.167). The authors declare that human subject’s approval was granted for this research, and it was conducted with the adequate understanding and written consent of the participants’ caregivers. The procedures used in this study adhered to the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki.

Disclosure statement

Zahra Soleymani may benefit financially from the sale of the questionnaire.

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.