Turkish adaptation of the behavioral flexibility scale for children with autism spectrum disorder: cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric evaluation

Purpose The purpose of this study is to adapt the “Behavioral Flexibility Scale for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder” to Turkish culture and evaluate its psychometric properties. Design/methodology/approach The Behavioral Inflexibility Scale (BIS), developed by Luc Lecavalier and her colleagues, is used in diagnostic tests for autistic children. The research used a methodological design. Data were collected between March and September 2021. The study included 254 parents of children with autism. Content validity, construct validity and criterion validity were assessed. Reliability was examined using adjusted item-total correlation, Cronbach’s coefficient, composite reliability and split-second reliability. Findings The Turkish version of the “Behavioral Flexibility Scale for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder” was found to have good content and criterion validity. The single-factor structure of the scale was confirmed for the Turkish version as a result of confirmatory factor analysis. The Cronbach alpha coefficient of the scale was determined as 0.97, and the item/total correlation coefficients were found to be between 0.544 and 0.807. In the first factor analysis conducted for BIS, the KMO value was 0.958, and in the BTS test results, it was determined that the scales were suitable for factor analysis ( X 2 = 7,296.05; df = 705; p < 0.001). As a result of the explanatory factor analysis, it was found that the items forming the scale were gathered under a single factor, and the factor loadings varied between 0.564 and 0.822. It was found that the items constituting the scale explained 52% of the variance, and the Pearson correlation coefficient was r = 0.775, p < 0.001. Research limitations/implications In this study, there are some limitations that need to be acknowledged. First, the sample that the study is based on was collected from parents from a single city in our country, and therefore, in future studies, it is recommended to use a stratified sampling method to include participants from all regions of the country. Another limitation is that the behavioral flexibility of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) was assessed only based on the information provided by their parents. This leads to a one-sided evaluation of the results. Therefore, in future studies, it is recommended to include various sources such as special education teachers and attending physicians to assess the behavioral flexibility of children and adolescents with ASD. Practical implications The Behavioral Flexibility Scale was found to be a valid and reliable tool that can be used in diagnostic testing in children with ASD. Social implications It is aimed to early identify and intervene in the behavioral problems experienced by autistic children. Originality/value The Behavioral Flexibility Scale was found to be a valid and reliable tool that can be used in diagnostic testing in children with ASD.