The behavioral summarized evaluation: Validity and reliability of a scale for the assessment of autistic behaviors

The Behavioral Summarized Evaluation (BSE), is a 20-item paper- and-pencil rating scale specifically designed for the measurement of behavioral parameters which could be related to biological data in autistic children involved in educational programs, neurophysiological studies, and therapeutic trials. The development of the scale, the validity, and reliability studies are presented in this paper. The results suggest that the BSE is an acceptable tool for the assessment of autistic behaviors, easy to handle, and accessible to both professionals and paraprofessionals of the medico-educative staff. It is a useful addition to the bioclinical researcher's evaluation battery for bioclinical and therapeutic studies. However, more work is suggested to further investigate the psychometric properties of this behavior assessment instrument.This study was supported by CNRS, by INSERM U 316 Nervous System from the Foetus to the Child, Development, Circulation, Metabolism, L. Pourcelot, CNAMTS No. 2748/88, FRM 1986, Conseil Régional Région Centre, Contrat No.7.040.000, INSERM, and Fondation Langlois. The authors thank S. Lancrenon, Department of Biophysics and Biomathematics (J. Fermanian), C.H.U. Pitie-Salpetriere, Paris, for her helpful suggestions and assistance. They also thank Mrs. Barre and Miss Lioret for their technical work.