Psychometric Properties of the Visual Perception Pictorial Scale (VPSS) for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Inclusive Classrooms

Abstract Objective: To address the critical lack of culturally relevant assessment tools in the Arab region, this study aimed to develop and validate the Visual Perception Pictorial Scale (VPSS), the first pictorial instrument of its kind designed specifically for Arab children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in inclusive classrooms. Methods: The VPSS, comprising 100 pictorial items across three domains (Visual Preparation, Visual Discrimination, Whole-Part Relationship), underwent initial psychometric evaluation with a sample of 20 children with ASD. Subsequently, a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest-follow-up study involving six children (aged 6–8 years; IQ 60–90) evaluated the scale's sensitivity to change following a 16-session infographic-based intervention. Content validity was established via expert review (n=10), while reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s α, split-half, and test-retest methods. Criterion validity was tested against the Learning Disabilities Diagnostic Rating Scale (LDDRS). Results: Content validity indices ranged 0.70–1.00 with expert agreement 70–100%. Criterion validity with the LDDRS was strong (r=0.81, p<0.01). Cronbach’s α was 0.86 for the total scale, with split-half reliability 0.81 and test–retest 0.78. Inter-domain correlations (r=0.79–0.87) confirmed construct validity. Children showed strongest performance in Visual Preparation and relative challenges in Whole–Part Relationship. Conclusions: The VPSS demonstrates robust preliminary psychometric properties, establishing it as a promising tool for assessing visual perception in children with ASD within Arab inclusive classrooms—a context with a critical lack of dedicated assessment instruments. While these findings provide an essential foundation, larger-scale validation and cross-cultural studies are warranted to build upon this foundational work.