The Sensory Observation Autism Rating Scale (SOAR): Developed using the PROMIS® framework

Area of Science:

• Developmental Psychology
• Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
• Measurement Science

Background:

• Autistic individuals perceive sensory input differently, affecting behavior, daily living, and anxiety.
• Early identification of sensory differences is crucial for timely intervention and support.
• Existing measurement tools for autistic children's sensory behaviors are limited in scope and methodology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel observational measurement tool for sensory behaviors in autistic children.
• To address the lack of appropriate, direct measurement tools for early sensory differences in autism.
• To create a tool aligned with gold-standard measurement development frameworks like PROMIS®.

Main Methods:

• Extensive literature review and stakeholder focus groups identified key sensory behaviors.
• An initial item bank was refined through expert review and video coding of free play in 105 autistic and developmentally delayed children (13-36 months).
• Interrater reliability was assessed through double coding of a subset of the sample.

Main Results:

• The item bank was reduced to 37 items, forming the Sensory Observation Autism Rating scale (SOAR).
• The refined SOAR demonstrated excellent face and ecological validity.
• High interrater reliability was achieved, with an Intraclass correlation ranging from 0.87 to 0.99.

Conclusions:

• The Sensory Observation Autism Rating scale (SOAR) is a promising tool for characterizing sensory behaviors in young autistic children.
• SOAR's observational nature and validated reliability offer a significant advancement over existing proxy or limited measures.
• Further refinement and data collection will enhance SOAR's utility in guiding supportive interventions for autistic children.