Psychometric properties of the questionnaire version (ERS-Q) of the Environmental Rating Scale (ERS) for assessment of residential programmes for individuals with autism

Missing (n)Age38.50 (11.46)^b15Gender11 Women241 (82.5)^a Men51 (17.5)^aEducation28 High school210 (76.4)^a College65 (23.6)^aPedagogical /TEACCH education225 (76.5)^a9Workload13 heavy124 (42.8)^a moderate154 (53.1)^a mild12 (4.1)^aYears experience working with ASD9.47 (8.06)^b12Years worked at present group home5.33 (3.51)^b7Frequency of continued TEACCH training19 > Twice/year51 (18.0)^a About once/year124 (43.7)^a < Once/year100 (35.2)^a Never9 (3.1)^aConsider themselves working according to a special pedagogy230 (80.1)^a16Regular staff meetings276 (94.8)^a12Discussing pedagogical issues281 (96.9)^a13Daily activities at the group home70 (23.9)^a10Notes: ^an (%);^bmean (SD).

Item No.Item contentSubscalePossible score range 1Caregiver's language adjusted1. Communication 2Visual systems supplement communication 3Training incorporated into daily routines 4Information available about communication skills 5Directions communicated clearly to resident5–25 6Physical organization, facilitate independence2. Structure 7Visual systems for independence 8Daily schedule for client visible 9Daily schedule for home visible10Full daily schedule with leisure pursuits11Systems to facilitate transitions between activities6–3012Socialization training in daily routines3. Socialization13Clearly goals for social, leisure and affective skills14Leisure activities are planned individually15Independent skills developed for free time use16Social skills training used in interactions17Social skills are taught in meaningful context6–3018Caregivers awareness of cognitive level4. Developmental Assessment and Planning19Caregivers awareness of social level20Training based on assessment information21Training based on individual abilities22Emerging skills incorporated into training23Functional needs are incorporated into training24Training activities are rethought if necessary25Efforts are made to generalize skills8–4026Limits and rules are clear for the client5. Behaviour Management27Consistence maintain behavioural limits28Problem behaviour are analyzed29Client reinforced for positive behaviours30More positive strategies than punitive31Less intrusive than intrusive approaches32Documentation of behaviour programmes7–35Total score32–160

Item-scale correlationsScaleItem No.Mean^aSDTotal ERS-Q Score ^bCommunication ^cStructure ^cSocialization ^cDevelopmental Assessment… ^cBehaviour Management^cCommunication14.141.040.370.510.350.190.280.1823.741.390.470.670.550.140.180.2633.181.490.470.610.520.320.220.2343.441.200.410.400.340.300.230.2553.920.870.420.350.41*0.310.270.23Structure63.831.080.440.34*0.320.38*0.38*0.2873.421.300.600.540.610.370.360.3783.771.270.490.530.620.170.250.2593.441.330.440.330.500.320.240.30103.721.100.380.400.580.180.180.23113.940.940.550.510.520.300.330.34Socialization123.561.250.500.360.320.590.330.31133.301.220.560.330.370.700.490.28144.100.910.370.100.210.380.43*0.25153.281.210.390.200.240.530.350.25163.491.190.460.250.280.700.330.33173.801.010.490.210.260.600.540.34Developmental Assessment and Planning183.841.020.390.200.230.350.440.23194.100.860.390.840.130.220.430.22204.130.880.380.160.260.280.540.35214.150.810.350.090.180.240.510.34223.631.040.570.340.440.470.500.39232.851.410.400.32*0.22*0.46*0.220.25*243.811.090.530.320.310.460.510.42253.980.930.490.240.250.400.540.43Behaviour Management264.130.860.450.210.300.290.45*0.43 ^b 274.290.870.430.140.330.270.430.49 ^b 284.320.820.440.200.340.220.390.51 ^b 294.440.740.320.170.140.250.270.47 ^b 304.370.750.430.250.240.250.310.51 ^b 314.041.060.460.40*0.360.280.290.38 ^b 324.400.920.330.130.270.210.280.38 ^b Notes: ^aPossible item score range, 1–5; ^bCorrected item-total correlation; ^cBolded values are corrected item-total correlations; unbolded values are correlations between each item and other scales. *Item-to-other scale correlation stronger than the corrected item-total correlation.

Definite scaling failure^aProbable scaling failure^bProbable scaling success^cDefinite scaling success^dProbable/Definite Scale successScalen%n%n%n%n%Communication n = 200015.01155.0840.01995.0Structure n= 2400312.51145.81041.72187.5Socialization n= 240014.1520.81875.02395.8Developmental Assessment and Planning n= 3200412.51753.11134.42887.5Behaviour Management n= 280027.11760.7932.12692.8Notes: ^aPercentage of occasions when items correlated significantly stronger with other subscales than with their hypothesized subscale (definite scaling failure); ^bPercentage of occasion when items correlated non-significantly stronger with other subscales than with their hypothesized subscale (probable scaling failure); ^cPercentage of occasions when corrected item-total correlations exceeded item-to-other correlations but not significantly (probable scaling success); ^dPercentage of occasions when corrected item-total correlations significantly exceeded item-to-other correlation (definite scaling success)

Scale (possible score range)Md (q1–q3; min–max)^aMean (SD)^bCronbach's alphaComputable scale scores (%)^cTotal score (32–160)125 (112–135; 67–160)3.84 (0.51)0.9079.2Communication (5–25)19.0 (16.0–22.0; 6–25)3.69 (0.84)0.7393.7Structure (6–30)23.0 (19.0–26.0; 6–30)3.68 (0.80)0.7790.8Socialization (6–30)22.0 (18.0–25.0; 8–30)3.60 (0.82)0.8190.8Developmental Assessment and Planning (8–40)31.0 (28.0–34.0; 17–403.82 (0.60)0.7785.8Behaviour Management (7–35)30.0 (28.0–33.0; 16–35)4.28 (0.53)0.7489.1Notes: ^aData are summed scale median (q1–q3; min–max scores); ^bData are mean (SD) scores across items (range: 0–5); ^cProportion without missing item responses.

ERS-Q ScaleERS-Q ScaleCommunicationStructureSocializationDevelopmental Assessment and PlanningBehaviour ManagementCommunication(0.73)^bStructure0.63(0.77)Socialization0.350.41(0.81)Developmental Assessment and Planning0.320.420.58(0.77)Behaviour Management0.320.440.410.55(0.74)Notes: ^aInter-correlations among scales should be substantially less than their respective alpha coefficients to support measurement of distinct constructs; ^bInternal consistency reliability (coefficient alpha) in parentheses.