Translation, Cultural Adaption, and Examination of the Psychometric Properties of the Persian Version of "First Year...

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with challenges in social communication and restricted, repetitive behaviors. Early diagnosis is vital for effective interventions. In low- and middle-income countries like Iran, reliable screening tools for ASD are scarce. This study aims to translate, culturally adapt, and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the "First Year Inventory, version 2" (FYI) for use in Iran. The FYI was translated into Persian using the Watson and DuBay (2019) method. A panel of ten experts assessed its validity. Based on their feedback, necessary cultural and linguistic adjustments were made. A pre-test was conducted with parents of typically developing infants, and psychometric properties such as test-retest reliability, internal consistency, and criterion validity were evaluated. The study translated and culturally adapted the FYI for screening ASD in 12-month-old infants. Data from 110 participants showed good psychometric properties, with excellent discriminative ability in distinguishing ASD from typically developing infants and children with developmental delays. The adaptation of FYI addressed linguistic, cultural, and technical challenges, confirming its applicability in Iran. The tool showed strong validity and reliability in distinguishing ASD. However, cultural nuances in the social-communication domain highlighted the need for further refinement. Future research should focus on larger samples and integrate FYI with other diagnostic tools for improved screening accuracy.