TABLE 5.
Parameter estimates of the resulting MNLFA model.
| Parameter type | Variables | Estimate | SE | p-value |
| Social communication impairments | ||||
| Intercept | ETA | 0 | ||
| Loading | Frequency of Vocalization a | 2.794 | 0.180 | <0.001 |
| Pointing | 1.624 | 0.100 | <0.001 | |
| Gestures | 1.229 | 0.081 | <0.001 | |
| Unusual Eye Contact a | 2.890 | 0.281 | <0.001 | |
| Responsive Social Smile | 1.006 | 0.074 | <0.001 | |
| Facial Expressions Directed to Others | 1.835 | 0.115 | <0.001 | |
| Integration of Gaze and Other Behaviors During Social Overtures a | 2.517 | 0.163 | <0.001 | |
| Shared Enjoyment in Interaction | 1.463 | 0.093 | <0.001 | |
| Response to Name | 0.845 | 0.069 | <0.001 | |
| Requesting a | 1.869 | 0.127 | <0.001 | |
| Giving | 1.063 | 0.077 | <0.001 | |
| Showing a | 2.075 | 0.144 | <0.001 | |
| Spontaneous Initiation of Joint Attention | 1.744 | 0.110 | <0.001 | |
| Response to Joint Attention | 1.128 | 0.083 | <0.001 | |
| Quality of Social Overtures | 2.621 | 0.165 | <0.001 | |
| Mean Factor | ETA on Language Levels | -0.450 | 0.034 | <0.001 |
| Intercept DIF | Frequency of Vocalization on NVMA | −0.369 | 0.102 | <0.001 |
| Unusual Eye Contact on Language Levels | 1.595 | 0.367 | <0.001 | |
| Integration of Gaze and Other Behaviors During Social Overtures on Language Levels | 0.242 | 0.087 | 0.005 | |
| Requesting on Language Levels | 0.067 | 0.081 | 0.409 | |
| Showing on Language Levels | −0.064 | 0.106 | 0.547 | |
| Loading DIF | Frequency of Vocalization on NVMA | −0.347 | 0.127 | 0.006 |
| Unusual Eye Contact on Language Levels | 0.780 | 0.274 | 0.004 | |
| Integration of Gaze and Other Behaviors During Social Overtures on Language Levels | −0.498 | 0.122 | <0.001 | |
| Requesting on Language Levels | −0.228 | 0.102 | 0.025 | |
| Showing on Language Levels | −0.302 | 0.123 | 0.014 | |
| Repetitive behaviors and restricted interest | ||||
| Intercept | ETA | 0 | ||
| Loading | Unusual Sensory Interests in Play Material/Person | 1.697 | 0.302 | <0.001 |
| Hand and Finger and Other Complex Mannerisms a | 0.664 | 0.114 | <0.001 | |
| Unusually Repetitive Interests or Stereotyped Behaviors a | 1.139 | 0.178 | <0.001 | |
| Mean Factor | ETA on Language Levels | −0.258 | 0.047 | <0.001 |
| Intercept DIF | Hand and Finger and Other Complex Mannerisms on Language Levels | −0.219 | 0.069 | 0.001 |
| Unusually Repetitive Interests or Stereotyped Behaviors on NVMA | 0.060 | 0.080 | 0.458 | |
| Loading DIF | Hand and Finger and Other Complex Mannerisms on Language Levels | −0.221 | 0.106 | 0.037 |
| Unusually Repetitive Interests or Stereotyped Behaviors on NVMA | −0.413 | 0.142 | 0.004 | |
aUnweighted grand mean of loading across groups. NVMA groups: −1 = under 24 months, 1 = 24 months and above; Language levels: −1 = Few to No Words; 1 = Some Words.