RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY OF THE MATSON EVALUATION OF SOCIAL SKILLS WITH YOUNGSTERS (MESSY II) FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

The aim of this study was to confirm the "Matson Evaluation of Social Skills with Youngsters (MESSY II) (Matson, Neal, Worley, Kozlowski, & Fodstad, 2012) for children with autism spectrum disorder. The internal consistency of the MESSY II was also examined. The research was carried out with the participation of 269 pupils studying in schools which accept children who are within the spectrum of autism, from different areas of Greece. The participants were 222 boys and 74 girls. The Greek version of MESSY-II for children with autism spectrum disorder was used. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were checked by performing a confirmatory factor analysis and an internal consistency analysis. From the analysis of the results and the discussion that followed we come to the following conclusions: a. The Greek version of MESSY II has shown stable psychometric properties, which partially support its use in the Greek school context for children with autism spectrum disorder. b. The pupils seem to present satisfactory levels of social skills.Original Abstract: Cilj ovog istrazivanja bio je potvrditi "Matson procjenu socijalnih vjestina s mladima (MESSY II) (Matson, Neal, Worley, Kozlowski, i Fodstad 2012.) za djecu s poremeaeajem spektra autizma. Unutarnja dosljednost u MESSY II je tako[eth]er bila ispitivana. Istrazivanje je provedeno uz sudjelovanje 269 ueenika koji poha[eth]aju skole koje prihvaaeaju djecu koja su unutar spektra autizma, iz razlieitih podrueja Greke. Sudionici su 222 djeeaka i 74 djevojeica. Koristena je greka verzija MESSY-II za djecu s poremeaeajem spektra autizma. Valjanost i pouzdanost upitnika su provjereni izvo[eth]enjem potvrdne faktorske analize i unutarnje analizu dosljednosti. Iz analize rezultata i rasprave koja je uslijedila smo dosli do sljedeaeih zakljueaka: a. Greka verzija MESSY II je pokazala stabilna psihometrijskia svojstva, koja djelomieno podrzavaju njegovu uporabu u grekom skolskom kontekstu za djecu s poremeaeajem spektra autizma. b. Eini se da ueenici predstavljaju zadovoljavajuaee razine drustvenih vjestina.