DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF TOOL FOR ACTIVATION OF MOTHERS WITH CHILDREN HAVING AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

Abstract

Objective: To develop and validate an indigenous tool to measure activation in mothers having children with ASD in Pakistan.

Study Design: A mixed-method approach with two phases, first phase involved qualitative item generation and content validation, followed by exploratory factor analysis. Second phase focused on confirmatory factor analysis and validation.

Place and Duration: Study was conducted in Lahore, Pakistan, with data collected from February to November 2023.

Materials and Method: Phase 1 generated 84 items through literature review, six semi-structured interviews, and two focus groups.11 items removed due to repetition. Content validity was assessed by six experts, retaining 57 items with a CVI ≥ .83 and high. EFA was performed on 316 mothers (aged 21–40 years) with children aged 3–12 years diagnosed with mild to moderate ASD. Phase 2 validated the tool using CFA on 204 mothers.

Results: EFA confirmed a two-factor structure, explaining 20.87% of variance. CFA showed acceptable model fit (CMIN/DF = 1.59, CFI = .91, TLI = .90, RMSEA = .05). The final 28-item Tool for Activation of Mothers (TAOM) comprised two factors i.e. Maternal Attributes (21 items) and Resilience activation (7 items).

Conclusion: The tool for activation of mothers is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing maternal activation in managing ASD child in Pakistan. It supports family-centered approaches, empowering mothers to reduce dependence on mental health services and improve child outcomes