The Adaptation and Translation of a Transition Readiness Scale for Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Antonio F Pagán, Katherine A Loveland, Ron Acierno
PMID 40694262WHAT IT FOUND
The adapted Transition Readiness Scale reliably measures autonomy and social skills in autistic young adults, including Spanish speakers.
Higher readiness scores linked to less depression and better quality of life, offering a culturally responsive tool for planning adult services.
Key findings
01The adapted scale showed strong internal consistency for young adults (alpha = 0.94), English parents (alpha = 0.92), and Spanish parents (alpha = 0.94).
02Young adults who reported higher transition readiness also reported significantly lower depression symptoms and higher coping self-efficacy.
03Self-reported and parent-reported readiness showed a moderately strong positive correlation, indicating both perspectives converge on the young adult's preparedness.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The sample size was modest, which prevented rigorous exploratory or confirmatory factor analysis to fully validate the scale's underlying structure. The study was cross-sectional, so it cannot determine if low readiness causes poor mental health or if poor mental health limits readiness. Test-retest reliability and responsiveness to change were not evaluated, so it is unknown if the scale can track progress over time. Generalizability within the Latino population may be limited due to the predominance of Mexican heritage among Spanish-speaking participants and varying socioeconomic backgrounds.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume the scale predicts future outcomes or improves with intervention. The study only shows that current readiness scores are associated with current mental health and quality of life; it did not test whether using the scale changes patient trajectories or if the score responds to therapy.