Brief report: replication of the psychometric characteristics of the behavioral inflexibility scale in an independent sample.
The Behavioral Inflexibility Scale keeps its psychometric strength in a new sample of autistic and non-autistic youth.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team gave the Behavioral Inflexibility Scale to 243 parents. Kids were 3-17 years old. Half had autism, half did not.
They ran the same math checks as the first study. They wanted to know if the scale still measures the same thing in a new group.
What they found
All the numbers matched the first study. The scale still has three clear parts. Scores still line up with real-life problems.
Parents of autistic kids scored higher, just like before. The scale keeps its promise.
How this fits with other research
Boudreau et al. (2015) showed that parents, teachers, and youth rarely agree on behavior. The BIS only uses parent report, so keep that limit in mind.
Ivy et al. (2017) proved that autism tools work the same for boys and girls. R et al. now show the BIS also works for both sexes.
Laugeson et al. (2014) trimmed the Parenting Stress Index from 36 to 30 items and kept it strong. The BIS did not need trimming; the full form still holds up.
Why it matters
You can trust the BIS in your next autism evaluation. It is quick, free, and now twice validated. Use it to spot kids who get stuck on routines, then plan breaks or choices to ease inflexibility.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
The Behavioral Inflexibility Scale (BIS) is a recently developed measure of behavioral inflexibility, defined as rigid patterns of behavior that contrast with the need to be flexible when the situation calls for it. In this study, we sought to replicate previous findings on the psychometric properties of the BIS in a community sample. Data for this study were collected using in-person assessments of 163 autistic and 95 non-autistic children ages 3-17 and included the BIS, measures of social-communication ability and repetitive behaviors, and an assessment of cognitive ability. Our findings replicate the psychometric properties of the BIS, indicating that the measure is a valid measure of behavioral inflexibility in ASD.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2022 · doi:10.1038/531011f