Development and Validation of the Japanese Version of the Comprehensive Autism Trait Inventory in University Students

Abstract

Introduction: The Comprehensive Autism Trait Inventory (CATI) comprises six subscales, including “social camouflage” and “sensory sensitivity,” developed to address the limitations of comprehensive evaluation (English et al., 2021). In this study, we report the development of the Japanese version of the CATI (CATI-j) for university students and validate its reliability and validity. Methods: All 43 items of the original CATI were translated into Japanese using a cognitive interview ( N = 12) and back-translation method. The data from 509 participants were used to examine the item characteristics, the gender differences, and the factor structure. Results: Using samples of Japanese university students ( N = 509), we found good reliability and validity for the CATI-j. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that a bifactor model, assuming two general factors for “social communication and interaction” and “repetitive and restricted behavior,” along with six specific factors, best fit the data. However, in contrast to previous studies, no significant differences between men and women were observed for each scale. Limitations: Several limitations remain for future exploration, including examining samples beyond university students, determining cutoff values for distinguishing autism spectrum disorder, and investigating cultural differences. Discussion: The CATI-j is applicable to Japanese university students.