Validity and reliability of the Spanish version of the diagnostic assessment for the severely handicapped (DASH-II)

Background and objectivesThe DASH-II scale is a specific instrument for measuring psychopathological symptoms in people with severe and profound intellectual disability (ID). The aim of the study is the validation of the Spanish version, evaluating its reliability and validity. At the same time we examine the prevalence of mental disorders in our sample.Material and methodsTwo reviewers independently passed the Spanish version of the DASH-II (DASH-II-S) to 83 users to establish inter-rater reliability. To assess inter-rater reliability or test–retest reliability, fifty participants were reassessed by the same rater within 7 days.ResultsDASH-II-S showed good internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.879) and good reliability, both intra and inter-rater reliability. The prevalence of psychopathology in the sample is 94%, and the use of psychotropic drugs is also high, with 61.4% receiving one or more antipsychotics.ConclusionsDASH-II-S is a valid and reliable instrument that can be used for the assessment of psychopathology in people with ID. The translated version retains the psychometric properties of the original English version. Moreover, the high prevalence of mental disorders in this population may explain the widespread use of psychotropic drugs, but it forces us to continuous reassessment and justification.     

Development of traditional Chinese version of World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 36 – item (WHODAS 2.0) in Taiwan: Validity and reliability analyses

BackgroundWorld Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0) provided a standardized method for measuring the health and disability and the traditional Chinese version has not been developed.AimsTo describe the process of developing the traditional Chinese version of the WHODAS 2.0 36-item version and to evaluate the concurrent validity and test–retest reliability of this instrument.MethodsThe study was conducted in two phases. Phase I was the process of translation of WHODAS 2.0 36-item version. Phase II was a cross-sectional study. The participants were 307 adults who were tested the validity and reliability of draft traditional Chinese version.ResultsThe reliability of Cronbach's α and ICC in the WHODAS 2.0 traditional Chinese version were 0.73–0.99 and 0.8–089, respectively. The content validity was good (r = 0.7–0.76), and the concurrent validity was excellent in comparison with the WHOQOL-BREF (p < 0.5). The construct validity, the model was explained total variance was 67.26% by the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) illustrated the traditional Chinese version was good to assess disability. There was a valid and reliable measurement scales for evaluating functioning and disability status.ConclusionFor disability eligibility system of Taiwan government to measure the disability, the traditional Chinese version of the WHODAS 2.0 provided valuable evidence to design the assessment instrument.     

Validity and reliability of the Turkish version of single-item Sleep Quality Scale in healthy adults

ObjectiveThe Single Item Sleep Quality Scale (SQS) is a self-reported outcome measure to assess sleep quality. SQS can be used when there is limited time or sleep impairments need to be identified quickly. This study aimed to investigate the validity, including concurrent criterion, convergent, divergent, and known-groups, and test-retest reliability of the SQS in a sample of the Turkish population.MethodsTurkish translation and cross-cultural adaptation of SQS were conducted. Two hundred and thirty-eight healthy adults aged 18–65 years were included in the study. The validity of the SQS was investigated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The data were collected online. The retest–retest reliability was investigated in a subsample of 40 people after 7–14 days.ResultsThe SQS significantly correlated with item 6 (sleep quality) on PSQI and PSQI global score (r_s = −0.73, −0.61, respectively). Although, it had a small correlation with total sleep time (r_s = 0.28), awakenings (r_s = −0.21) and habitual sleep efficiency (r_s = −0.24). 8 of 11 predetermined hypotheses (73%) for convergent validity and 10 of 12 predetermined hypotheses for divergent validity (83%) were confirmed to test the construct validity. Test-retest reliability was found high (ICC = 0.82 (95%CI: 0.66 to 0.91)). SQS score of the sleep disorders group, which was determined according to the PSQI global score, was significantly lower.ConclusionsThe results revealed that SQS is a valid and reliable instrument and can be used to evaluate sleep quality in healthy Turkish adults.     

Reliability, criterion-related validity and qualitative comments of the Fourth Edition of the Stanford–Binet Intelligence Scale with a young adult population with intellectual disability

The test–retest reliability and concurrent, criterion-related validity of the Fourth Edition of the Stanford–Binet Intelligence Scale (SB-IV) were examined in a young adult population with intellectual disability. Forty adults with mild to moderate intellectual disability (mean age = 20.8 years; SD = 1.8 years) were administered the SB-IV and retested approximately 5 weeks later (mean = 33.4 days, SD = 1.2). The Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale: Interview Edition (VABS) was completed by a reliable informant within one week of the SB-IV testing. The test–retest reliability coefficients for the four SB-IV area and composite scores were all significant ( P 0.001). Individual subtest correlations tended to be lower but consistent across the two administrations. Moderate correlations were observed between the VABS composite and SB-IV composite scores. The present results provide support for the temporal reliability of the SB-IV and its concurrent, criterion-related validity in an exceptional sample.     

Reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the Modified Checklist for autism in toddlers (M-CHAT)

Early detection and intervention is essential for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Therefore, we examined the reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the Modified Checklist for autism in toddlers (M-CHAT), a 23-item, yes–no questionnaire regarding early autistic symptoms completed by parents of children at 18–24 months of age. Herein, the reliability of the M-CHAT was investigated for children 4–20 months of age. The M-CHAT score (the number of failed items) was found to be significantly correlated among 24 mother–father pairs (Pearson's r = .933), representing good inter-rater reliability. The test–retest reliability was satisfactory, with 22 mothers providing almost equal M-CHAT scores on two different occasions (r = .990). Significant correlations were observed between the M-CHAT score and the Childhood Autism Rating Scale-Tokyo version score in 25 two-year-old children (r = .581), indicating good concurrent validity. The M-CHAT score was significantly higher in 20 children later diagnosed with ASD compared with reference children (n = 1167), revealing sufficient discriminant validity. A short version of the M-CHAT using 9 items was proposed and effectively differentiated children with ASD from reference children. The efficacy of the Japanese version of the M-CHAT was demonstrated for first-level screening in the general population.     

The Basic Empathy Scale: A Chinese Validation of a Measure of Empathy in Adolescents

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the Basic Empathy Scale (BES). The Chinese version of BES was administered to a sample (n = 1,524) aged 9–18 and 65 males with conduct disorder aged 13–18. The result of confirmatory factor analysis showed a two-factor structure with four items deleted to be the most adequate model (cognitive empathy, affective empathy). Empathy was positively correlated with a measure of prosocial behaviour and a measure of emotional problems. Boys with conduct disorder scored significantly lower than matched participants on cognitive empathy. Moreover, in line with previous researches, girls were found to score significantly higher on empathy than boys and the scores on both cognitive and affective empathy increased with age. The Chinese revision exhibited satisfactory internal consistency and moderate test–retest reliability.     

Psychometric evaluation of the Serbian version of the Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory-31 (QOLIE-31)

PurposeTo evaluate the psychometric properties of the Serbian-language version of the Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory-31 (QOLIE-31).MethodsAfter undergoing a translation and cultural adaptation of its items in order to create a Serbian-language version of QOLIE-31, we assessed its psychometric properties—reliability, construct validity and criterion validity. The sample consisted of 203 adults with epilepsy. Reliability was tested both by assessing the internal consistency and by the test–retest method. Construct validity was assessed by factor analysis, multitrait-scaling analysis and method of known-groups validation. This was achieved by assessing the relationship between scales and external measures (socio-demographic characteristics, seizure severity and etiology of epilepsy). Criterion validity was assessed by correlation analysis between QOLIE-31 and Short form 36 health survey (SF-36) and Neurotoxicity scale-II.ResultsThe domains showed high internal consistency (Cronbach's α 0.94). Test–retest reliability for Overall test score was 0.83 (Pearson's coefficient) indicating temporal stability. Seizure severity and etiology of epilepsy significantly influenced all QOLIE-31 domains except the Medication effect domain, with lowest scores in high seizure severity and symptomatic etiology groups. Employment status significantly influenced Overall quality of life, Emotional well-being, Social function and Overall score. Educational level was related to the Emotional well-being domain, with highest scores for students. The QOLIE-31 was highly positively correlated with SF-36 (rho = 0.898) and strongly negatively correlated with Neurotoxicity scale-II (rho = ?0.783).ConclusionSerbian adaptation of the QOLIE-31 questionnaire is reliable and valid for assessing the quality of life in patients with epilepsy.     

Reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the child abuse potential inventory abuse scale

Introduction: The present study examined the reliability, validity, and cutoff scores of the Japanese version of the Child Abuse Potential Inventory (CAPI) abuse scale, which screens for parents at risk of child abuse. Methods: Samples consisted of 1,809 parents, 109 students, and 33 child abusers in Japan. The CAPI was administered to all participants, and twice to the student sample at a 2‐week interval. Internal consistency was evaluated by Cronbach's α, and construct validity by principal factor analysis with the parent sample. Test‐retest reliability was assessed with Pearson's r with the student sample. With regard to predictive validity, the cutoff scores and classification rates were calculated through discriminant analysis between abusers and matched non‐abusers. Results: Internal consistency (Cronbach's α=0.88), test‐retest reliability (Pearson's r=0.93; two‐tailed P<0.001), and predictive validity (overall diagnostic power=90%) were all highly satisfactory. Regarding construct validity, the six‐factor structure of the original version was not replicated; only three factors were obtained. The discriminant analysis showed the basic cutoff score as 159. The conservative cutoff score for the upper 5% of the parent sample was 218. Discussion: The Japanese version of the CAPI abuse scale showed highly satisfactory internal consistency, test‐retest reliability, and predictive validity. The construct correspondence with the original version was more compromised. This version of the CAPI identified parents with scores of 159 or greater as being at risk of abusing a child.     

Validation of the Japanese version of the Sleep Hygiene Practice Scale

ObjectiveThis study sought to validate the Japanese version of the Sleep Hygiene Practices Scale (SHPS-J).Patients/methodsA cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted via the internet. In total, 854 participants (435 men, 419 women; mean age, 42.91 ± 11.54 years) were asked to complete all scales, and 283 of them were asked to complete the same scales two weeks later. The survey consisted of the SHPS-J, the Japanese version of the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI-J), and the Japanese version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI-J). The SHPS-J was developed according to the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research Task Force for Translation and Cultural Adaption. For the analysis, participants were divided into three groups: insomnia syndrome, insomnia symptoms, and good sleep groups.ResultsThe SHPS-J had good test-retest reliability (ICC: 0.55–0.76) and adequate internal consistency (α = 0.54–0.74), except with regard to eating/drinking behaviors. The factorial validity of the four-factor structure was confirmed through a confirmatory factor analysis; however, one item related to eating/drinking behaviors had no significant factor loading. The construct validity was confirmed through a correlation analysis between each domain of the SHPS-J and ISI-J (r = 0.19–0.60, p < 0.01). The results of clinical validation confirmed that all domains of the SHPS-J were significantly higher for individuals with insomnia than for good sleepers.ConclusionsThis study confirmed both the reliability and validity of the SHPS-J.     

Reliability and validity of the 6-min walk test in adults and seniors with intellectual disabilities

IntroductionAdults with intellectual disabilities (ID) have significantly lower rates of physical activity and fitness than adults without ID. The 6-min walk test (6MWT) is an inexpensive and simple way to test mobility and submaximal work capacity.PurposeTo evaluate the test–retest reliability and validity of the 6MWT in adults and seniors with ID and explore factors contributing to the 6MWT distance (6MWD).Methods46 participants with mild, moderate and severe ID levels (age = 41 ± 11 years) performed the 6MWT three times (T1; T2; T3) to determine test–retest reliability. To test validity, peak oxygen uptake (VO₂ peak) was measured using a treadmill protocol. To analyze factors contributing to the 6MWD, sex, height, fat mass % and fat free mass %, ID level, isometric leg strength and relative VO₂ peak were also measured.ResultsThe walking distances for T1, T2 and T3 were 460.3 ± 76.9; 489.4 ± 81.2 and 491.4 ± 77.9 m, respectively. The 6MWDs between T1–T2 and T1–T3 were significantly different (p < 0.001), but T2 and T3 were not different. The intraclass correlation coefficient between T2 and T3 was 0.96 indicating high reliability. Relative VO₂ peak and isometric leg strength significantly contributed to the 6MWD (R² = 0.55).ConclusionsThe 6MWT is an easy, inexpensive, reliable and valid test in adults and seniors with ID. Familiarization is necessary to obtain reliable values. Relative VO₂ peak and leg strength have significant impact on the distance walked.     

Psychometric properties of the Chinese version of nightmare distress questionnaire (NDQ-CV) in adolescents

BackgroundThe Nightmare Distress Questionnaire (NDQ) is the most common scale used to measure nightmare distress for its satisfactory psychometric properties. This study assessed the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of NDQ (NDQ-CV) in a large sample of adolescents.MethodsThe NDQ-CV consists of 14 items (12 original NDQ items, 1 modified NDQ item and 1 new item) to assess waking distress associated with nightmares. Each item is rated on a 5-point scale from 1 = Never to 5 = Always. Subjects used for psychometric assessment of the NDQ-CV were 11,831 participants of the Shandong Adolescent Behavior and Health Cohort in China. Participants completed the NDQ-CV and a structured questionnaire to assess nightmare frequency, sleep, anxiety/depression, and academic performance.ResultsThe NDQ-CV score ranged from 14 to 70 (M = 22.5, SD = 8.7). Internal consistency reliability coefficient was 0.90. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses yielded 2 dominant factors defined as nightmare general distress (10 items) and daytime reality perception (4 items). The NDQ-CV score was significantly correlated with short nocturnal sleep duration, anxiety/depression, insomnia, daytime sleepiness, and poor academic performance. Furthermore, NDQ-CV significantly predicted depressive symptoms 1 year later.Study limitationsAll data were self-reported.ConclusionsThe NDQ-CV appears to be a simple, reliable, and valid scale for assessing nightmare distresses in Chinese adolescents. Further studies are warranted to test the reliability and validity of the NDQ-CV with adult samples.     

The psychometric validation of the Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS) in patients with bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder (BD) adversely affects daily activities/functioning. The Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS) assesses disability in work/school activities, family relationships, and social functioning, and it evaluates the functional impact of psychiatric disorders. BD outpatients from 21 U.S. sites completed a battery of validated instruments (including the SDS) three times over 8–12 weeks. Instrument reliability (internal consistency, test–retest), validity (construct, convergent validity, known groups) and responsiveness were measured. There were missing data for the SDS in 2% of the 225 subjects with BD. One factor explained 82% of the variance. All SDS items had rotated factor loadings on the first factor > 0.90, confirming the appropriateness of the SDS total score. Item-scale correlations surpassed 0.40. There was excellent internal consistency reliability for the SDS total score (Cronbach's alpha = 0.89). Test–retest reliability was acceptable for the SDS total score (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.73). Correlations with other instruments demonstrate convergent and divergent validity. The SDS total and item scores significantly discriminated between (self-rated) overall health status, clinician-rated functional status, and clinician-rated depression, evidencing known group validity. The SDS demonstrated ability to detect change over time. The SDS is a valid, reliable measure of disability and is responsive to change over time when used in subjects with BD.     

Reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview

Abstract  Despite a rapid increase in disabled elderly in Japan, the burden of the caregiver has not been properly assessed due to a lack of objective measurements. Our study was aimed at adapting and validating the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview (ZBI) in Japan, which is one of the most widely used measurements for caregivers' burden in the United States. Sixty-six caregivers answered the self-administered questionnaire, involving the Japanese version of the ZBI and questions regarding their caregiving situation. Our study demonstrated that the Japanese version of the ZBI had equally as high reliability and validity as the original version. The Japanese ZBI had a high test—retest reliability (r = 0.76) and internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.93). The total score of the ZBI was highly correlated with the caregivers' score of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) score (r = 0.50), as well as a single global rating of burden (r = 0.71). It was also shown that demographic distribution of the score of the Japanese version had a similar trend to that of the original version. Caregivers who looked after patients with behavioral disturbances were found to have a significantly higher ZBI score than those who looked alter patients without behavioral disturbances, which is consistent with previous findings. It is concluded that the Japanese version of the ZBI can be used to measure feelings of burden of caregivers in the Japanese population and can be used for cross-cultural comparison.     

A pilot study of the reliability and validity of the Caregiver Activity Survey – Intellectual Disability (CAS-ID)

Background People with Down's syndrome (DS) are at increased risk of Alzheimer‐type dementia (AD) when compared to the general population. Despite AD being a serious progressive disorder, little attention has been paid to the impact of the illness on formal caregivers. In the general population, the Caregiver Activity Survey (CAS) is used to measure time spent by family caregivers assisting people with AD in their day‐to‐day activities of living. In order to plan appropriate models of health and social care effectively for people with AD and DS, it is imperative that the care requirements of individuals at different stages of dementia are realized. An amended version of this survey, the Caregiver Activity Survey – Intellectual Disability (CAS‐ID), was developed and tested for use by professional caregivers in the present study. Methods The CAS‐ID was administered to 30 people with DS and their caregivers. Convergent validity was tested by comparing the results of the CAS‐ID to other validated tests for cognitive and functional impairment in individuals with DS. Test–retest and inter‐rater reliability were investigated. Results The final version of the CAS‐ID consists of eight items: dressing, bathing/showering, grooming, toileting, eating and drinking, housekeeping, nursing care‐related activities, and supervision/ behaviour management. The scale had excellent test–retest reliability, and correlated strongly with the Down Syndrome Mental Status Examination (DSMSE; r = ?0.770), the Test for Severe Impairment (TSI; r = ?0.881) and the Daily Living Skills Questionnaire (DLSQ; r = ?0.855). Conclusions The present authors provide preliminary evidence for the validity and reliability of the CAS‐ID. This instrument offers a means of identifying and measuring care and resources requirements as this population experiences symptoms of dementia. Such information may help assist healthcare professionals in planning supports and services to address the care challenges evidenced at different stages of the disease process.     

Chinese character fluency test: an investigation of psychometric properties

Abstract

Objective: Verbal fluency test (VFT), one of the most commonly used tests to evaluate executive function (EF), can be subdivided into letter fluency (LF) and semantic fluency (SF). Although SF tasks have been established in Eastern societies, it is difficult to develop a LF task (Non-SF task) in Mandarin. This study thus aims to examine the psychometric properties of the Chang Gung University Orthographical Fluency Test (CGUOFT), a non-SF task with Chinese characters. Method: A total of 290 participants were recruited from the community. Thirty participants were retested for the test–retest reliability. Three tests of EFs were used for the criterion-related validity. Results: CGUOFT has fair internal consistency and good test–retest reliability. The concurrent validity of CGUOFT is also acceptable. An exploratory factor analysis showed a one-factor structure, and the CGUOFT scores significantly correlated with sex, age and educational level. Conclusions: This study might be the first one considering the Chinese characters to establish a VFT. Based on good psychometric properties, it merits evaluations of the CGUOFT from clinical samples in future studies.     

Job burnout amongst the institutional caregivers working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities: Utilization of the Chinese version of the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory survey

Burnout has been considered important to understand the well-being of people who work with individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) and developmental disabilities (DD). To identify personal and workplace characteristics associated with burnout, this study aimed to utilize the Chinese version of the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory to provide a burnout profile of caregivers who served individuals with ID/DD and evaluate the potential factors associated with burnout in this group. A purposive sampling method and a self-administered structured questionnaire were employed to recruit 276 caregivers from 4 different disability institutions for study participation. The results revealed that the average personal burnout score (PBS) and work-related burnout score (WBS) were 44.0 (SD = 16.8) and 34.2 (SD = 15.9). These burnout scores were higher compared with general full time employees in Taiwan. The results showed that that 17.8% of the staff were moderately burnt out (PBS score: 50–70), and 7.6% of the staff were in the highest exhausted level (PBS score ≧ 70) of PBS. With regard to the WBS score, 20.7% were moderately burnt out (PBS score: 50–70), and 5.1% of the staff were in the highest exhausted level (WBS score ≧ 70). Finally, a multiple regression analysis reported that the factors of self-report health status and WBS significantly predicted higher respondent PBS (R² = 0.642). The study highlights the need to improve the psychological health and well-being of the caregivers who work with individuals with ID/DD and the need for the institutions to strengthen supportive healthy working environments to decrease staff burnout.     

The Mandarin Chinese version of the childhood autism spectrum test (CAST): Test–retest reliability

This study aimed to investigate the test–retest reliability of a Mandarin Chinese version of the Childhood Autism Spectrum Test (CAST), in a Chinese population. Parents in a school based study on the prevalence of ASC in mainland China were asked to complete a second version of the CAST approximately 2–4 months after first completion. Test retest data were available from 70 children (questionnaires completed by the same parent). Using a cut-off score of 15, the test–retest reliability was good (kappa = 0.64). The test–retest reliability in three categories (≤11, 12–14, ≥15) was moderate (weighted kappa = 0.53). The correlation between the scores at CAST-1 and CAST-2 was good (Spearman rho = 0.73). The Mandarin CAST demonstrated moderate to good test–retest reliability as a screening instrument for ASC in an assessment sample in mainland China.     

Validity and reliability assessment of the Brazilian version of the game addiction scale (GAS)

BackgroundThe uncontrolled use of video games can be addictive. The Game Addiction Scale (GAS) is an instrument that was developed to assess this type of addiction. The GAS consists of 21 items that are divided into the following seven factors: salience, tolerance, mood modification, relapse, withdrawal, conflict and problems. This study assessed the convergent validity and reliability of the GAS according to measures of internal consistency and test–retest stability.Material and methodsThree hundred and eighty four students completed the GAS, the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Video Game Addiction Test (VAT). A subgroup of the participants (n = 76) completed the GAS again after 30 days to determine test–retest stability.ResultsThe GAS demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.92), was highly correlated with the VAT (r = 0.883) and was moderately correlated with the BDI (r = 0.358), the LSAS (r = 0.326) and the IAT (r = 0.454).ConclusionIn the Brazilian Portuguese population, the GAS shows good internal consistency. These data indicate that the GAS can be used to assess video game addiction due to its demonstrated psychometric validity.     

The Behavior Problems Inventory (BPI-01) in community-based adults with intellectual disabilities: Reliability and concurrent validity vis-à-vis the Inventory for Client and Agency Planning (ICAP)

Reliability and concurrent validity of the Behavior Problems Inventory (BPI-01; Rojahn et al., 2001) was examined in a sample of 130 community residing adults with mild to profound intellectual disabilities with high rates of behavior problems and concurrent mental health problems. The BPI-01 and the Inventory for Client and Agency Planning (ICAP; Bruininks et al., 1986) were administered twice within a mean time interval of 7.8 weeks by 20 trained and experienced staff members. All three BPI-01 subscales had high inter-rater agreement (Self-Injurious Behavior [SIB]: mean ICC = .84; Stereotyped Behavior: mean ICC = .75; Aggressive/Destructive Behavior: mean ICC = .82), and stable test–retest reliability (SIB, mean ICC = .91; mean Stereotyped Behavior, mean ICC = .89, and Aggressive/Destructive Behavior, mean ICC = .88); internal consistency ranged from poor (SIB: α = .61) to excellent (Stereotyped Behavior, α = .90). Using the ICAP as criterion measure, the BPI-01 showed robust convergent validity. Solid relationships between BPI-01 subscales and corresponding ICAP subscales corroborated the concurrent validity of the BPI-01.     

Psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Social Communication Questionnaire

This study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ). We assessed 736 participants (male, 80.1%) aged 2–18, who were clinically diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) including autistic disorder, Asperger's disorder, or pervasive developmental disorders, not otherwise specified according to the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. All the parents completed the Chinese versions of the SCQ. Among them, parents of 317 participants were interviewed by using the Chinese version of the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R). The exploratory factor analysis revealed a three-factor structure (social interaction, repetitive behaviors, and communication), which was further validated by the confirmatory factor analyses with an adequate fit (Goodness-of-Fit Index = 0.923; Comparative Fit Index = 0.983; root mean square error of approximation = 0.034). The test–retest reliability (intra-class correlations = 0.77–0.78), internal consistency (α = 0.73–0.91), and concurrent validity (Pearson correlation up to 0.65) were satisfactory. Children with autistic disorder had the highest scores, followed by children with Asperger's disorder who had intermediate scores and then non-ASD participants who had the lowest scores. Our findings suggest that the Chinese SCQ is a reliable and valid instrument for rating autistic symptoms in Chinese-speaking population (ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT00494754).