Validation of the Brief Autism Mealtime Behavior Inventory in Parents of Children in Cyprus

<b>Background/Objectives:</b> Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) includes significant feeding difficulties, behavioral issues, and communication deficits that are linked to serious medical complications and developmental challenges. The Brief Autism Mealtime Behavior Inventory (BAMBI) is a commonly used tool to screen for mealtime behavior problems in children with ASD; however, it lacks validation for use within the Greek-Cypriot population. The current study sought to present the translation, cultural adaptation, and validation of the BAMBI for Greek-Cypriot parents of children with ASD. <b>Methods:</b> Three bilingual experts translated the inventory into Greek, following the translation guidelines by the World Health Organization. The inventory was then administered to 117 parents: 42 children with ASD and 75 typically developing children. Principal Component Analysis was used to obtain the tool's statistical reliability and validity. <b>Results:</b> BAMBI-Gr demonstrated strong internal consistency, as indicated by a Cronbach's alpha of 0.755, and showed excellent test-retest reliability, with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.999. PCA identified three key factors: General Refusals, Refusing Food, and Autism-Related Features. Significant differences in BAMBI-Gr scores of the comparative group of parents of children with ASD and parents of typically developing children highlighted the tool's sensitivity in detecting mealtime behavior problems. Receiver Operating Characteristics analysis set the cut-off points for optimum distinguishing of feeding problems at 46.00 (sensitivity 0.738, 1-specificity 0.000). <b>Conclusions:</b> The Greek-translated version of the BAMBI demonstrates validity and effectiveness as a parent-reported assessment tool for identifying feeding and mealtime difficulties in children with ASD.