Factor analysis of the pervasive Developmental Disorders Rating Scale with teacher ratings of students with autistic disorder

The Pervasive Developmental Disorders Rating Scale (PDDRS; Eaves, 2003) is a rating scale that is used in the screening process for pervasive developmental disorders (PDD). The PDDRS contains three scales: Arousal, Affect, and Cognition. In this study, the construct validity of the PDDRS was examined with teacher ratings from a sample of 168 children with autistic disorder through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. In the exploratory factor analysis, a three-factor structure was examined. Confirmatory factor analysis was employed to evaluate the model-fit of the data for the hypothesized second-order factor structure. The results supported the averred factor structure of the PDDRS with teacher ratings for students with autistic disorder. Limitations of the data and areas for future research are discussed. (C) 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.