A multi-study validation of the Turkish Early Social Cognition Inventory (T-ESCI) in infants and toddlers

Social cognition encompasses various mental abilities and processes through which individuals to understand and engage with others. The Early Social Cognition Inventory (ESCI) assesses skills such as joint attention, imitation, and mental state understanding through parental reports. While the ESCI has shown reliability in English-speaking contexts, this study adapts it for Turkish-speaking children aged 4 to 39 months, focusing on psychometric properties within a non-WEIRD context. In Study 1 (N = 124; M_age = 22.35, SD = 10), factor analysis revealed that, unlike the original two-factor model, the Turkish ESCI followed a one-factor structure. Two items with low factor loading was removed, resulting in a 19-item version with strong internal reliability. Study 2 (N = 122; M_age = 22.20, SD = 10.31) assessed convergent validity, revealing strong correlations between the ESCI scores and the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers Revised (M-CHAT/R-F). Study 3 (N = 52; M_age = 19.56, SD = 10.36) confirmed test-retest reliability over one month. Finally, Study 4 combined data from Studies 1 and 2 (N = 246; M_age = 22.28, SD = 10.14) to confirm the internal reliability of the ESCI across various demographic groups, demonstrating its suitability across diverse populations. The Turkish ESCI is thus a valid, reliable tool for assessing social cognition in young children, enabling research into individual and cultural differences in non-Western settings.