Introduction: The purpose of the present study is to examine the psychometric
properties of the Turkish form of the Sensory Experience Questionnaire Short
Version-SEQv2.1, which is based on parent or primary caregiver reports,
consisting of three sensory response patterns (hyporeactivity, hyperreactivity,
and sensory seeking) previously validated in different clinical groups and the
general population, on young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Method: The study participants consisted of 180 children with ASD and 65
typically developing children aged between 24 and 80 months. The children’s
sensory characteristics were measured using the SEQv2.1, which was filled
out by their mothers. The study used the Childhood Autism Rating Scale
(CARS) to examine concurrent criterion validity and confirm the children’s
ASD diagnosis. After the SEQv2.1 was translated, the questionnaire’s validity
was examined with construct and criterion validity, while its reliability was
examined with Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega internal consistency
coefficient.
Results: The analyses conducted to examine construct validity showed that
the model fit indices for the questionnaire’s three-factor structure were
acceptable, but not all items had acceptable loading values. Furthermore, the
sub-factors of the SEQv2.1 were moderately positively correlated with each
other and highly positively correlated with the overall scale, and the mean
scores of children with ASD and typically developing children from the subfactors
of the SEQv2.1 and the overall scale significantly differed from each
other. The analyses performed for criterion validity demonstrated that the
sub-factors of the SEQv2.1 and the overall scale were moderately positively
correlated with the CARS. Finally, reliability analyses determined that the subfactors
of the SEQv2.1 were acceptable and the overall scale had a good level
of internal consistency reliability.
Conclusion: It can be stated that the Turkish form of the SEQv2.1, which
includes three sensory response patterns (hyporeactivity, hyperreactivity, and
sensory seeking), is generally valid and reliable in determining the sensory
characteristics of young children with ASD. However, since not all items have
satisfactory loading values, it is thought that inferences regarding the Turkish
version of the SEQv2.1 should be made more carefully. Furthermore, since
this may be related to the participants’ ages, it is recommended that future
research be conducted with an older age group.
Keywords: Autism spectrum disorder, hyperreactivity hyporeactivity, Sensory
Experience Questionnaire, sensory seeking, validity and reliability