Psychometric properties of the INICO-FEAPS scale in a Danish sample with autism spectrum disorders.
The Danish INICO-FEAPS scale gives BCBAs a quick, reliable way to let autistic teens and adults report their own quality of life.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Knüppel et al. (2018) tested the Danish version of the INICO-FEAPS scale.
The scale asks teens and adults with autism how they feel about home, school, friends, and health.
Researchers ran factor analysis to see if the questions hang together and give stable scores.
What they found
The scale held up. Internal reliability was good and the factor structure matched the original Spanish version.
Danish youth and adults with autism can now complete a short, valid quality-of-life checklist.
How this fits with other research
Hesselmark et al. (2015) already showed that adults with autism can reliably fill out self-report forms. Their NEO-PI-R personality study gives you confidence that self-report is not off limits for this group.
Burrows et al. (2018) did the same kind of first-validation job, but for the Emotion Dysregulation Inventory. Both studies prove that new autism-specific checklists can be built and trusted.
Bradley et al. (2026) later extended that work by showing the EDI stays solid across age and ability. The pattern: start with a pilot, then prove it works everywhere.
Why it matters
You now have a Danish tool that asks clients directly how life is going. No proxy needed. Use it at intake, reassessment, or discharge to track real-world outcomes in minutes.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: There is a need to evaluate subjective perspectives of outcomes, such as quality of life (QoL), in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), but to date, there is no specific instrument available to assess this population. While the INICO-FEAPS scale is customized for studying QoL in adolescents and adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities, this scale has not been previously evaluated in an ASD population. AIMS: To examine the usability of the INICO-FEAPS scale in a Danish population of adolescents and adults with ASD. METHODS: In a nationwide survey, 875 adolescents and adults with ASD and 1573 parents completed the INICO-FEAPS scale. Internal consistency was evaluated through several indices. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to investigate the fit of the model with eight correlated first-order factors, and convergent validity was explored comparing the results of different QoL measures through correlation analysis. RESULTS: Internal consistency was adequate for the indices applied, and the CFA model tested indicated an acceptable fit to the data. Generally, comparisons of results of different QoL measures resulted in moderate to high correlations. CONCLUSION: Overall, it was concluded that due to the psychometric properties found, the INICO-FEAPS scale is applicable for use in ASD populations.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2018 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2018.01.013