title: Development of the "Playing-in-Touch" (PiT) questionnaire: a measure of musical intouchness in people with low-functioning autism.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy. pierluigi.politi@unipv.it
authors.forename: Pierluigi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Politi
authors.forename: Enzo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Emanuele
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grassi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009146:Music / Q000523:psychology*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000592:standards*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D014743:Videotape Recording; D055815:Young Adult