Exploratory factor analysis of the Adapted Skillstreaming Checklist for children with autism spectrum disorder.

Lopata et al. (2020) ran an exploratory factor analysis on the Adapted Skillstreaming Checklist. They wanted to see which skills naturally group together in autistic children without intellectual disability.

Parents filled out the checklist for their elementary-age kids. The team then crunched the numbers to find clean, reliable factors.

Three clear factors popped out. All three showed strong internal consistency, meaning the items within each factor hang together well.

The factors map onto social-communication and flexibility skills you can track over time.

Lopata et al. (2017) had already shown the checklist is reliable and valid. The 2020 study extends that work by telling us which sub-scores to use.

Gerhardt et al. (1991) and McCarron et al. (2002) both factor-analyzed the Autism Behavior Checklist. They also found three to five factors, but their factors did not match the original subscales. The ASC factors, in contrast, line up with the skills you actually teach.

Lee et al. (2021) looked at the Theory of Mind Inventory-2 and found weak factor fit. The ASC’s strong three-factor structure gives you a clearer picture than the ToMI-2 for social-skills tracking.

You now have an evidence-based way to split the ASC into three meaningful scores. Use them to set targets in social entry, emotional control, and flexibility. Track these same three factors before and after your social-skills groups to show real progress.