Validation of the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory in an Italian Population with Autism Spectrum Disorder: a Cross-Sectional Study

Objective To measure psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI-I) in a population with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Methods The PEDI-I was administered to different children with ASD. The internal consistency was examined by using Cronbach’s Alpha, while the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to investigate both inter-observer and intra-observer reproducibility. Its concurrent validity was evaluated with the Italian version of the Barthel Index. Results The PEDI-I was administered to 60 children with a diagnosis of ASD. Cronbach’s Alpha showed statistically significant values (.885-.965). Inter-observer and intra-observer investigations confirm the reproducibility of the scale with a range of high and very high parameters. The Pearson Correlation Coefficient with the Barthel Index showed significant data for all PEDI-I subscales with a p<0.01. Conclusions The PEDI-I showed good psychometric properties and it is possible to confirm its validity and reliability in ASD population. However, for better understanding of how PEDI-I works in clinical practice, further researches are recommended