Clinically derived 12-factor structure and confirmatory factor analysis of the neurodevelopmental parent report for outcome monitoring

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social communication and social interaction impairments accompanied by restrictive and repetitive behaviors or interests. Co-occurring conditions may greatly impact overall functioning and intervention needs, and contribute to individual variability and etiologic subtypes. Clinical care of individuals with ASD requires gathering a breadth of information across multiple domains. The neurodevelopmental parent report for outcome monitoring (ND-PROM) was developed to assess symptoms across core features of ASD as well as frequent concerns and comorbidities. The current study expands upon the initially reported psychometric properties of the ND-PROM and evaluates a proposed a clinically derived 12-factor structure of the ND-PROM.

Methods and procedures: The ND-PROM was completed for 246 children with ASD ands tested using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and measurement invariance based on sex.

Outcomes and results: A 12-factor correlated structure was found (expressive language, receptive language, nonverbal communication, social emotional understanding, social interaction, independent play, adaptive/toileting skills, restrictive and repetitive behaviors and interests, sensory processes, challenging behaviors, impulse/ADHD, and mental health), which did not vary by sex.

Conclusions and implications: The ND-PROM captures a range of distinct aspects of developmental and behavioral functioning in ASD that can be used to track independent functioning across domains.