Developmental Diseases and Conditions - Adult Autism Research Offers New Insight

Strategic Insights -

Researchers from the University of Santiago de Compostela in Spain have developed a culturally adapted version of the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q) for the Spanish population. The study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the CAT-Q and to address the need for camouflage assessment tools in Spain. The researchers conducted a cultural adaptation process, which involved direct-back translation and pretest with autistic individuals. The adapted version, known as the CAT-Q-Spanish, showed excellent internal consistency and test-retest reliability among non-autistic and autistic individuals.

Key Takeaways:

  • The researchers proposed that camouflaging contributes to delayed or absent diagnosis and mental health problems in autistic individuals.
  • The study aimed to culturally adapt the CAT-Q for the Spanish population and assess its psychometric properties.
  • The cultural adaptation process yielded the CAT-Q-Spanish version, which was tested for internal consistency, test-retest reliability, construct validity, and measure invariance.
  • The CAT-Q-ES showed excellent internal consistency among non-autistic (McDonald's omega = 0.95) and autistic individuals (omega = 0.89).
  • The study concluded that the findings enhance the assessment and understanding of camouflage within the Spanish context, addressing a crucial gap in the field.
  • The research has been peer-reviewed and published in the journal Autism In Adulthood.

Statistics:

  • 379 non-autistic individuals participated in the study.
  • 111 autistic individuals participated in the study.
  • 32 non-autistic participants were tested for test-retest reliability.
  • The CAT-Q-ES showed a strong relationship (r = 0.99, p < 0.001) between test and retest scores.
  • The internal consistency among non-autistic individuals was excellent (McDonald's omega = 0.95).
  • The internal consistency among autistic individuals was excellent (McDonald's omega = 0.89).

Sources:

  • NewsRx. Researchers from University of Santiago de Compostela Report on Findings in Adult Autism (Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire: Cultural Adaptation, Reliability, and Validity In Autistic and Non-autistic From Spain). Mental Health Weekly Digest. May 26, 2025; p 480.
  • Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire: Cultural Adaptation, Reliability, and Validity In Autistic and Non-autistic From Spain. Autism In Adulthood, 2025.