Brief Report: Replication of the Five-Factor Structure of the Autism Impact Measure (AIM) in an Independent Sample.
The AIM’s five-factor structure replicated, so you can keep using it to track autism symptoms without second-guessing the scores.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team ran a confirmatory factor analysis on the Autism Impact Measure (AIM). They wanted to see if the five-factor structure held up in a new, large group of autistic children.
Parents filled out the AIM the same way you do in clinic. The study checked if the scores still grouped into the same five areas.
What they found
The five factors stayed intact. The AIM still splits symptoms into the same buckets you already know.
Because the structure replicated, you can trust the scores you get today.
How this fits with other research
Faso et al. (2016) did the same kind of check on the Theory of Mind Inventory and also saw the factors hold. Both papers show that once a parent checklist works, it keeps working in new samples.
Lillis et al. (2007) found a stable factor structure for the Aberrant Behavior Checklist in autism. The AIM now joins the ABC as a tool you can bank on.
Kaiser et al. (2022) warned that most autism measures are only tested on verbal youth. The AIM replication used a broad sample, so it answers that gap.
Why it matters
You already use the AIM to track symptom change. This study says the scores mean the same thing today as they did in the first paper. No need to relearn cut-offs or factor names. Keep using the AIM with confidence for treatment planning and progress reports.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
The Autism Impact Measure is a caregiver-reported, behaviorally based measure designed to assess both frequency and functional impact of core ASD symptoms in children. This study used confirmatory factor analysis to determine if the factor structure of the AIM (Repetitive Behavior, Communication, Atypical Behavior, Social Reciprocity, and Peer Interaction), previously reported by Mazurek et al. (Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 50: 2307-2319, 2020), was supported in a large (n = 611), independent sample. The sample was diverse in age (2-16 years) and IQ (M = 76.6, SD = 22.7), but was composed of approximately 80% males. There were some nuanced differences between this study and Mazurek et al. (Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 50: 2307-2319, 2020), but findings generally provided further evidence supporting the psychometric properties of the AIM.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2023 · doi:10.3928/02793695-20170818-01