Initial Validation of the Mandarin Translation of the Stanford Social Dimensions Scale (SSDS).

Researchers tested a Chinese version of a social skills assessment tool called the SSDS with 480 autistic children. The tool measures five areas of social functioning and showed it can reliably tell the difference between autistic children and other groups. The assessment appears to be a valid way to measure social challenges in Chinese-speaking autistic children, which could help with understanding their support needs.

This validation study examined the Mandarin translation of the Stanford Social Dimensions Scale (SSDS) in 480 children with autism spectrum disorder, comparing them to typically developing children (N=160) and children with other neurodevelopmental disorders (N=170). The five-factor structure (Social Motivation, Social Affiliation, Expressive Social Communication, Social Recognition, and Unusual Approach) showed adequate to excellent model fit. The scale demonstrated strong psychometric properties including excellent internal consistency (.93-.96), good test-retest reliability (.86), and strong discriminant validity with autism groups scoring significantly lower than comparison groups. Convergent and divergent validity were confirmed through correlations with established measures (SRS-2, SCQ).

The validated Mandarin SSDS provides clinicians with a reliable tool for assessing social functioning in Chinese-speaking autistic children. This could improve diagnostic accuracy and treatment planning in Chinese-speaking populations, though further refinement may be needed for optimal clinical utility.

Study is limited to initial validation with need for further refinement identified, particularly for the Unusual Approach factor which showed lower loadings. Cross-cultural validation may require additional considerations beyond translation.

This study aimed to validate the Mandarin translation of the Stanford Social Dimensions Scale (SSDS). The initial validation sample consisted of 480 children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (M = 9.35). Discriminant validity was appraised by comparing relevant SSDS scores among samples of children with ASD, typical development (TD) (N = 160, M = 7.16), and non-ASD but Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NDDs) (N = 170, M = 5.08). Confirmatory application of the Exploratory Structural Equation Modelling indicated that a five-factor model encompassing Social Motivation (SM), Social Affiliation (SA), Expressive Social Communication (ESC), Social Recognition (SR) and Unusual Approach (UA) provided adequate to excellent fit to the data in ASD group ([CFI] = .908, [TLI] = .930, [RMSEA] = .052, [SRMR] = .028).

The factor loadings of most items constituting SM, SA, ESC, and SR factors were aligned with the original factor structure in the US sample, except items on the UA factor that showed lower loadings. The internal consistency was .93-.96, and test-retest reliability was .86. Discriminate validity was excellent, with the ASD group showing significantly lower scores compared to non-ASD NDDs and TD groups. Convergent and divergent validity of the SSDS was strong, as indexed by the pattern of correlations with relevant Social Responsiveness Scale, second edition (SRS-2), and Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) domains.

This study provided preliminary validation of the Mandarin translation of the SSDS by largely replicating the original factor structure and showing evidence for strong discriminant, convergent, and divergent validity. Potential areas where further refinement and potential expansion of the SSDS are needed were identified.