Attachment and Autism in Ecuador: Exploration of content validity of the Attachment Q-set (AQS)

Abstract

INTRODUCTION. In the current study, we looked for evidence that allowed us to extend to the Ecuadorian environment and the Latin American context, the findings of international research on the use of the Attachment Q-set (AQS) in the evaluation of the attachment behavior of preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder (AQS). OBJECTIVE. The aim of this study was to explore the content validity of the AQS for its use in the Ecuadorian population with autism. METHOD. Three groups of people participated. In the first group, three professionals evaluated the linguistic adaptation of the instrument. In the second group, 10 caregivers used the AQS to construct ideally secure profiles of typical development preschoolers. In the third group, 10 professionals specialized in autism built optimally secure profiles of preschoolers with ASD. A mixed methodology was used for the processing and analysis of the data. RESULTS. The correlations between the average scores of both profiles and in contrast with the normative criteria of the instrument are similar to those reported in studies conducted with a typical Latin American population. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS. It is concluded that the AQS is applicable to Ecuadorian preschool children with ASD, and that its use in this population would contribute to the design of intervention programs with the participation of the caregivers.