Differential Item and Test Functioning of the Autism Spectrum Rating Scales: A Follow-Up Evaluation in a Diverse, Nonclinical Sample

Abstract

Although the racial/ethnic demographics in the United States are changing, few studies evaluate the cultural and linguistic responsiveness of commonly used autism spectrum disorder screening and diagnostic assessment measures. The purpose of this study is to evaluate item and test functioning of the Autism Spectrum Rating Scales (ASRS) in a sample of racially/ethnically diverse parents of children (nonclinical) between the ages of 6–18 ( N = 806). This study is a follow-up to a prior publication examining the factor structure of the ASRS among a similar sample. The present study furthers the examination of measurement invariance of the ASRS in racially/ethnically diverse populations by conducting differential item functioning and differential test functioning with a larger sample. Results indicate test-level invariance; however, five items are noninvariant across parent reporters from different racial/ethnic groups. Implications for practice and directions for future research are discussed.