“What does ‘often’ even mean?” Revising and validating the Comprehensive Autistic Trait Inventory in partnership with autistic people
Abstract Background In this study, we revised the comprehensive autistic trait inventory (CATI)—a self-report inventory of autistic traits, in collaboration with autistic people and provided preliminary evidence for its validity as a self-report measure of autistic traits in the general population....
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Molecular Autism |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13229-025-00643-7 |
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| author | Friederike Charlotte Hechler Outi Tuomainen Nathan Weber Frank Fahr Bodie Karlek Marie Maroske Meike Misia Nathan Caruana |
| author_facet | Friederike Charlotte Hechler Outi Tuomainen Nathan Weber Frank Fahr Bodie Karlek Marie Maroske Meike Misia Nathan Caruana |
| author_sort | Friederike Charlotte Hechler |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background In this study, we revised the comprehensive autistic trait inventory (CATI)—a self-report inventory of autistic traits, in collaboration with autistic people and provided preliminary evidence for its validity as a self-report measure of autistic traits in the general population. An established strength of the CATI is its ability to capture female autistic traits. Our project aimed to extend this further, to increase the inventory’s accessibility, and to minimise stigma induced by deficit-based representations of autistic experience. Methods Together with 22 individuals from the autism and autistic communities, we created the Revised Comprehensive Autistic Trait Inventory (CATI-R). Revisions included rewording items to increase clarity or reduce stigma and expanding items to capture diverse autistic experiences. We also present a series of guidelines for developing self-report inventories of subclinical neurodivergent traits. We validated the CATI-R within a large sample (n = 1439), comprising people with a self-reported autism diagnosis (n = 331), people who self-identified as autistic (n = 44), and non-autistic participants (n = 1046). Results We successfully validated a revision of the CATI. A confirmatory factor analysis supported the six-subscale structure (two-factor bifactors model: Chi-squared = 2705.73, p < .001, RMSEA = .04, SRMR = .03, CFI = .95, TLI = .94). Spearman’s rank correlations showed positive relationships between all subscales (all rs > .56, ps < .001). Convergent validity was demonstrated by significant correlations between the CATI-R and two contemporary inventories of autistic traits: the AQ (rho = .86, p < .01) and BAPQ (rho = .82, p < .01). Finally, a measurement invariance analysis indicated that total-scale scores can be compared across genders. Limitations Our study presents only initial evidence for the validity of the CATI-R that should be enriched with further analyses and types of data, including a larger number of participants who do not identify as male or female. Conclusions This project provides a revised trait inventory that resonates with actual autistic experience, along with guidelines for creating self-report measures that are sensitive, accessible, and non-stigmatising. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-502e12b3af234d3489199891eac0d2c2 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2040-2392 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Molecular Autism |
| spelling | doaj-art-502e12b3af234d3489199891eac0d2c22025-02-09T12:39:57ZengBMCMolecular Autism2040-23922025-02-0116112110.1186/s13229-025-00643-7“What does ‘often’ even mean?” Revising and validating the Comprehensive Autistic Trait Inventory in partnership with autistic peopleFriederike Charlotte Hechler0Outi Tuomainen1Nathan Weber2Frank FahrBodie KarlekMarie MaroskeMeike MisiaNathan Caruana3Macquarie UniversityPotsdam UniversityFlinders UniversityFlinders UniversityAbstract Background In this study, we revised the comprehensive autistic trait inventory (CATI)—a self-report inventory of autistic traits, in collaboration with autistic people and provided preliminary evidence for its validity as a self-report measure of autistic traits in the general population. An established strength of the CATI is its ability to capture female autistic traits. Our project aimed to extend this further, to increase the inventory’s accessibility, and to minimise stigma induced by deficit-based representations of autistic experience. Methods Together with 22 individuals from the autism and autistic communities, we created the Revised Comprehensive Autistic Trait Inventory (CATI-R). Revisions included rewording items to increase clarity or reduce stigma and expanding items to capture diverse autistic experiences. We also present a series of guidelines for developing self-report inventories of subclinical neurodivergent traits. We validated the CATI-R within a large sample (n = 1439), comprising people with a self-reported autism diagnosis (n = 331), people who self-identified as autistic (n = 44), and non-autistic participants (n = 1046). Results We successfully validated a revision of the CATI. A confirmatory factor analysis supported the six-subscale structure (two-factor bifactors model: Chi-squared = 2705.73, p < .001, RMSEA = .04, SRMR = .03, CFI = .95, TLI = .94). Spearman’s rank correlations showed positive relationships between all subscales (all rs > .56, ps < .001). Convergent validity was demonstrated by significant correlations between the CATI-R and two contemporary inventories of autistic traits: the AQ (rho = .86, p < .01) and BAPQ (rho = .82, p < .01). Finally, a measurement invariance analysis indicated that total-scale scores can be compared across genders. Limitations Our study presents only initial evidence for the validity of the CATI-R that should be enriched with further analyses and types of data, including a larger number of participants who do not identify as male or female. Conclusions This project provides a revised trait inventory that resonates with actual autistic experience, along with guidelines for creating self-report measures that are sensitive, accessible, and non-stigmatising.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13229-025-00643-7Autism spectrumAutistic traitsNeurodiversityPsychological testingPsychometric validationParticipatory research |
| spellingShingle | Friederike Charlotte Hechler Outi Tuomainen Nathan Weber Frank Fahr Bodie Karlek Marie Maroske Meike Misia Nathan Caruana “What does ‘often’ even mean?” Revising and validating the Comprehensive Autistic Trait Inventory in partnership with autistic people Molecular Autism Autism spectrum Autistic traits Neurodiversity Psychological testing Psychometric validation Participatory research |
| title | “What does ‘often’ even mean?” Revising and validating the Comprehensive Autistic Trait Inventory in partnership with autistic people |
| title_full | “What does ‘often’ even mean?” Revising and validating the Comprehensive Autistic Trait Inventory in partnership with autistic people |
| title_fullStr | “What does ‘often’ even mean?” Revising and validating the Comprehensive Autistic Trait Inventory in partnership with autistic people |
| title_full_unstemmed | “What does ‘often’ even mean?” Revising and validating the Comprehensive Autistic Trait Inventory in partnership with autistic people |
| title_short | “What does ‘often’ even mean?” Revising and validating the Comprehensive Autistic Trait Inventory in partnership with autistic people |
| title_sort | what does often even mean revising and validating the comprehensive autistic trait inventory in partnership with autistic people |
| topic | Autism spectrum Autistic traits Neurodiversity Psychological testing Psychometric validation Participatory research |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13229-025-00643-7 |
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