Cultural Adaptation and Validation of Mullen Scales of Early Learning in Taiwanese children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Global Developmental Delay, and Typically Developing Children

Pou-Leng Cheong; Jung-Mei Tsai; Yen-Tzu Wu; Lu Lu; Yi-Lun Chiu; Yi-Ting Shen; Yao-Jen Li; Chih-Hsuan Tsao; Yi-Chung Wang; Fu-Mei Chang; Yen-Hsun Huang; Chia-Wei Sun

doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2021.104158

Cultural Adaptation and Validation of Mullen Scales of Early Learning in Taiwanese children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Global Developmental Delay, and Typically Developing Children

Res Dev Disabil. 2022 Mar:122:104158. doi: 10.1016/j.ridd.2021.104158. Epub 2022 Jan 12.

Authors

Pou-Leng Cheong¹, Jung-Mei Tsai², Yen-Tzu Wu³, Lu Lu⁴, Yi-Lun Chiu⁵, Yi-Ting Shen⁶, Yao-Jen Li⁷, Chih-Hsuan Tsao⁸, Yi-Chung Wang⁹, Fu-Mei Chang¹⁰, Yen-Hsun Huang¹¹, Chia-Wei Sun¹²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital Hsin-Chu Hospital, No. 25, Lane 442, Sec. 1, Jingguo Rd., Hsinchu City, 300, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Photonics, College of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, 1001 University Road, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, ROC.
² Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei, 10617, Taiwan, ROC.
³ School and Graduate Institute of Physical Therapy, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei, 10617, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, No. 1, Changde St., Zhongzheng Dist., Taipei City, 100229, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: yenwu@ntu.edu.tw.
⁴ Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, No. 1, Changde St., Zhongzheng Dist., Taipei City, 100229, Taiwan, ROC.
⁵ Department of Social Work, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei, 10617, Taiwan, ROC.
⁶ Department of Psychology, Kaohsiung Medical University, No. 100, Shih-Chuan 1st Road, Sanmin Dist., Kaohsiung City, 80708, Taiwan, ROC.
⁷ Insititute of Epidemiology and Prevention Medicine, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei, 10617, Taiwan, ROC.
⁸ Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei, 10617, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei, 10617, Taiwan, ROC.
⁹ School and Graduate Institute of Physical Therapy, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei, 10617, Taiwan, ROC.
¹⁰ Department of Clinical Psychology, Songde Branch, Taipei City Hospital, No. 145, Zhengzhou Rd., Datong Dist., Taipei City, 10341, Taiwan, ROC.
¹¹ Being Alive Clinic, 1F., No. 6-1, Ln. 38, Sec. 2, Nangang Rd., Nangang Dist., Taipei City, 115028, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Clinical Psychology, Fu Jen Catholic University, No. 510, Zhongzheng Rd., Xinzhuang Dist., New Taipei City, 242062, Taiwan, ROC.
¹² Department of Photonics, College of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, 1001 University Road, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan, ROC.

PMID: 35032783
DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2021.104158

Abstract

Background: The Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL) is a standardized comprehensive developmental assessment tool for children aged 0-68 months. However, few Asia-based studies have explored cultural and linguistic adaptations of the MSEL or investigated its psychometric properties in populations with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Aims: This study evaluated the reliability and validity of the MSEL-Taiwan version (MSEL-T) for Taiwanese children with ASD, global developmental delay (GDD), and typical development (TD).

Methods and procedures: The MSEL items were translated and modified according to the language and culture in Taiwan. In total, 191 children (ASD, 69; GDD, 36; and TD, 86) aged 19-68 months were assessed using the MSEL-T and Peabody Developmental Motor Scales 2 (PDMS-2) at enrollment, followed by the assessments of Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale-Chinese version (VABS-C) at the age of 36 months or later.

Outcomes and results: All subscales were verified to have good interrater reliability and internal consistency, and subscale scores indicated moderate to high correlations with PDMS-2 and VABS-C scores. Significant differences in MSEL-T scores were observed between same-aged pairs of children with TD and GDD and between pairs of children with TD and ASD.

Conclusions and implications: The findings provide evidence of validity and reliability of the MSEL-T. And it is suggested that the culturally and linguistically adapted MSEL-T is a good tool for the clinical assessment of children with and without ASD.

Keywords: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD); Cultural adaptation; Developmental assessment; Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL); Validation.

MeSH terms

Autism Spectrum Disorder* / diagnosis
Child
Child, Preschool
Humans
Infant
Learning*
Psychometrics
Reproducibility of Results
Taiwan