Development of the "Playing-in-Touch" (PiT) questionnaire: a measure of musical intouchness in people with low-functioning autism.

BACKGROUND: There is accumulating evidence that people with autism have a particular affinity with music.

METHODS: This study developed the "Playing-in-Touch" (PiT) questionnaire as an objective measure of musical intouchness - defined as the degree of engagement in creative exchange while playing ensemble music pieces - in persons with low-functioning autism.

RESULTS: A 3-facet Rasch model supported the content and construct validity of the PiT scale. The items verified a one-dimensional hierarchical model.

CONCLUSIONS: The PiT questionnaire is a convenient complement to other research methodologies exploring the attitudes of people with low-functioning autism in terms of active music making.