Determination of the psychometric properties of autism screening instrument for educational planning (ASIEP-3): The case of Turkey

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neuro-developmental disorder and special education category usually revealing itself in the first three years of a child?s life. Compared to other disorders, the prevalence of this disorder has dramatically and abruptly increased in the last twenty years. ASD affects especially language, social and cognitive development of children. Assessment of children with ASD is described as a process of gathering data from different sources with different methods in order to make decisions about development of children with ASD, its prevention, and intervention. The purpose of this study is to explore psychometric properties of Autism Screening Instrument for Educational Planning-Third Edition (ASIEP-3), which has four informal assessment tools, to Turkey. The research model of this study is determined as a correlational and causal-comparative research model. Two hundred and thirty children diagnosed with ASD and severe intellectual disabilities, as applied with ASIEP-3, and 33 teachers at three Private Special Education and Rehabilitation Centres in cities of Denizli, Antalya and Isparta in Turkey took part in the study. After Turkish translation processes, as the first part of the study, the pilot and main studies were subsequently carried out. The internal consistency coefficient, coefficient of determination, inter-observer reliability of records, item-total correlation and Cronbach's alpha coefficient values were used to assess the reliability of Sample of Vocal Behavior Record Form, along with the methods of criterion and construct reference validity. In order to examine the reliability of Interaction Assessment Record Form, the method of the Kuder-Richardson coefficient of inter-observer reliability was used. As for construct validity, the reliability of Interaction Assessment Record Form was examined. To examine the reliability and validity of Educational Assessment Record Form, test-retest reliability criterion and construct validity were used. The reliability of Prognosis of Learning Rate Record Form was examined through inter-rater reliability and the validity of it was examined through construct validity. The result of these assessments shows that these four educational assessment tools are reliable and valid for assessing the children with ASD. Key Words; Autism Spectrum Disorder, Special Education, Behavioral and Educational Assessment