Exploratory Factor Analysis and Test–Retest Reliability of the Sensory Environment and Participation Questionnaire (SEP)

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine internal consistency, factor structure, and test–retest reliability of the Sensory Environment and Participation Questionnaire (SEP–Q) in young children with ASD. The SEP–Q measures parents’ perspective of the impact of the sensory environment on participation, as well as parent effort to support participation both in home and community environments.

BACKGROUND: The ability to participate in common daily activities can have a profound impact on the development of young children. One factor identified as impacting daily activity for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the fit between individual sensory processing patterns and the sensory environment (Reynolds, Bendixen, Lawrence, & Lane, 2011). It is estimated that 70%–96% of all children with ASD have unusual responses to sensory stimuli in the environment (Ben-Sasson et al., 2009). Unfortunately, there are few instruments that measure the environmental impact on participation in natural environments for children with ASD and even fewer that measure the sensory characteristics of the environment. The SEP–Q was developed to fill this need, although it requires further examination to determine underlying structures of the variables, internal consistency, and test–retest reliability prior to clinical use.

METHOD: A cross-sectional design was used to collect data for psychometric analyses. Participants were 125 parents of children with ASD ages 3–5 yr. Recruitment occurred nationally through social media, ASD community and support groups, private preschools, and school districts. Participants completed the SEP–Q, the Gilliam Autism Rating Scale to confirm diagnosis, and a demographic questionnaire. Participants were emailed a link to collect data through Qualtrics survey software (Provo, UT) or were provided with a paper version of the questionnaires based on preference. Cronbach’s alpha was used to calculate internal consistency. Canonical correlations and intraclass correlation were used to calculate test–retest reliability. An exploratory factor analysis using principle axis factoring was completed using Stata software (StataCorp, College Station, TX).

RESULTS: The exploratory factor analysis identified the best fit as a two-factor model for both the Home and Community scales of the SEP–Q. Internal consistency for both subscales representing the two factors was high. Cronbach’s alpha was .87 for the first factor of the Home scale and .82 for the second factor. Cronbach’s alpha was .87 for the first factor of the Community scale and .91 for the second factor. Test–retest reliability for all subscale factors were in ranges considered good (.82–.99).

CONCLUSION AND IMPACT: The results of this study identify the underlying factor structure and provide initial reliability for a unique measure to assess the impact of sensory factors within natural environments from the perspective of key stakeholders. The SEP–Q has the potential to support the intervention process within home and community contexts for therapists and families of young children with ASD.

References

Ben-Sasson, A., Hen, L., Fluss, R., Cermak, S., Engel-Yeger, B., & Gal, E. (2009). A meta-analysis of sensory modulation symptoms in individuals with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 39, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-008-0593-3

Reynolds, S., Bendixen, R. M., Lawrence T., & Lane, S. J. (2011). A pilot study examining activity participation, sensory responsiveness, and competence in children with high functioning autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 41, 1496–1506. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-010-1173-x