Individualizing the autism assessment process: A framework for school psychologists

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marilyn J. Monteiro
Keyword(s):  
School Psychologists ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Autism Assessment

Developing an Autism Assessment Service I: Procedures, Priorities, and Pitfalls over the First 5 Years

1998 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 116-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa Moore ◽  
Josie Titcomb ◽  
Elaine Cronk ◽  
Sally Goodson ◽  
Chris Rolles
Keyword(s):  
Children With Autism ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Multidisciplinary Assessment ◽  
Good Working ◽  
Local Services ◽  
Autism Assessment

This paper describes the development of a new assessment service in Southampton for children with autism and related disorders. The evolution of the service is described and the multidisciplinary assessment process is outlined. The response of families to the service is evaluated and the current status of the service is examined critically. The importance of forging good working links with other local services for children is emphasised.

The untold perspective: Parents’ experiences of the autism spectrum disorder assessment process when the child did not receive a diagnosis

Autism ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 136236132110037
Author(s):  
Lesley-Anne Bendik ◽  
Freya Spicer-White
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Information Support ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Child Assessment ◽  
Autism Assessment

This research explored parents’ lived experience of the autism spectrum disorder assessment process when a diagnosis was not received. Six mothers and one stepfather were interviewed and transcripts were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The identified themes: ‘My child is different’, The emotional and psychological journey and Understanding the outcome, illustrated issues encountered by parents during the assessment process and parenting a child with autistic-like characteristics but without a valid label. As a previously understudied area, clinical implications at the professional, service and policy level are discussed. Lay abstract Autism is diagnosed by a process of child assessment and parental interview. It has been well-documented by parents of children who received a diagnosis of autism, that the process can be lengthy and cause distress for families. Nevertheless, the outcome often compensated for the difficult assessment journey as it enables families to gain access to further information, support and intervention. However, less is known about the assessment process from parents who undertake the same process but at the end are told their child does not meet the diagnostic criteria, meaning no diagnosis is given. We interviewed six parents in North Wales, whose child did not receive a diagnostic of autism following an assessment. During the interview, parents were asked about their experience of the autism assessment process. We found that parents reflected on their experience according to three themes: (1) parents tried to navigate how they could make sense of their child being different despite not receiving a diagnosis; (2) parents referred to the assessment process as a journey, which encompassed many emotional and psychological components and (3) parents discussed what it was like to hear a non-diagnosis outcome, in terms of feeling relieved, confused and raising questions for the child’s future. These findings are important for professionals working in autism assessment services to help improve the assessment process for families, particularly when the assessment does not result in a diagnosis.

scholarly journals Autism diagnosis as a social process

Autism ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 136236132110303
Author(s):  
Jennie Hayes ◽  
Tamsin Ford ◽  
Rose McCabe ◽  
Ginny Russell
Keyword(s):  
Social Process ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Diagnostic Process ◽  
Children And Families ◽  
Autism Diagnosis ◽  
Diagnostic Threshold ◽  
Diagnostic Decision ◽  
Socially Situated ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Autism Assessment

The diagnosis of autism can be challenging, particularly if an individual coming for assessment is considered to be near the diagnostic threshold. It is important to understand the experiences and challenges of diagnosis from the perspective of clinicians. In this study, 21 in-depth interviews were conducted with clinicians working in specialist autism assessment teams in adult and children’s services in England. Interviews were recorded and transcripts were analysed thematically. We identified four themes that represented how clinicians were frequently engaged with juggling their own professional understanding of what autism is with other factors such as the results of standardised tests and the views of patients and carers, in the context of limited resources: institutional pressure, making diagnosis make sense, seeing through an autism lens and just tools. The study illuminates the diagnostic process as a socially situated activity. We suggest that an examination of the benefits and drawbacks of assessment services specialising in autism only, the resources they require to operate effectively, and how they operate in the context of wider health services would be appropriate and timely. Lay abstract When a child or adult is referred for an autism diagnosis, clinicians from different backgrounds work together to make a diagnostic decision. A few studies have asked clinicians in interview how they feel about diagnosis and what the challenges are. We interviewed clinicians in child and adult assessment services in England, and from different professional backgrounds, about the challenges of autism diagnosis and the factors that might influence the assessment process. We found that there were a number of challenges in autism diagnosis, especially when someone coming for diagnosis was considered to be near the diagnostic threshold. Clinicians told us that making a diagnosis was like creating a ‘narrative’: looking at many different factors that told a story about a person, rather than just looking at the results of diagnostic tests. Clinicians do not always agree with the results of those tests and have to use their specialist clinical judgement to make decisions. Clinicians were concerned about the amount of time people have to wait for an autism assessment, and the resulting pressure on the assessment process. The findings of this work can help us to understand how diagnosis happens and consider ways in which it can be improved for adults, children and families coming for assessment, as well as clinicians.

Attitudes of Interdisciplinary Team Members Toward Speech-Language Services in Public Schools

1986 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 230-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lou Tomes ◽  
Dixie D. Sanger
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
School Psychologists ◽  
Elementary School Principals ◽  
Team Member ◽  
Interdisciplinary Team ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Language Programs ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
State Area

A survey study examined the attitudes of interdisciplinary team members toward public school speech-language programs. Perceptions of clinicians' communication skills and of the clarity of team member roles were also explored. Relationships between educators' attitudes toward our services and various variables relating to professional interactions were investigated. A 64-item questionnaire was completed by 346 randomly selected respondents from a two-state area. Classroom teachers of grades kindergarten through 3, teachers of grades 4 through 6, elementary school principals, school psychologists, and learning disabilities teachers comprised five professional categories which were sampled randomly. Analysis of the results revealed that educators generally had positive attitudes toward our services; however, there was some confusion regarding team member roles and clinicians' ability to provide management suggestions. Implications for school clinicians were discussed.

Developing an Effective Framework for the Augmentative and Alternative Communication Evaluation Process

2014 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 91-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Celeste R. Helling ◽  
Jamila Minga
Keyword(s):  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Evaluation Process ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Diagnostic Tools ◽  
Alternative Communication ◽  
Complex Communication Needs ◽  
Expressive Communication ◽  
Communication Evaluation ◽  
Communication Needs

A comprehensive augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) evaluation is critical to providing a viable means of expressive communication for nonverbal people with complex communication needs. Although a number of diagnostic tools are available to assist AAC practitioners with the assessment process, there is a need to tailor the evaluation process to the specific communication needs of the AAC user. The purpose of this paper is to provide a basis for developing an effective and clinically driven framework for approaching a user-tailored AAC evaluation process.

Assessment 360°: A Panoramic Framework for Assessing English Language Learners

2010 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 37-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy Lewis ◽  
Nancy Castilleja ◽  
Barbara J. Moore ◽  
Barbara Rodriguez
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Linguistically Diverse ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Assessment Practices ◽  
Her Family ◽  
Diverse Student ◽  
Many Sources

This issue describes the Assessment 360° process, which takes a panoramic approach to the language assessment process with school-age English Language Learners (ELLs). The Assessment 360° process guides clinicians to obtain information from many sources when gathering information about the child and his or her family. To illustrate the process, a bilingual fourth grade student whose native language (L1) is Spanish and who has been referred for a comprehensive language evaluation is presented. This case study features the assessment issues typically encountered by speech-language pathologists and introduces assessment through a panoramic lens. Recommendations specific to the case study are presented along with clinical implications for assessment practices with culturally and linguistically diverse student populations.

Speech-Language Assessment Considerations for American Indian and Alaska Native Children Who Are Dual Language Learners

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (14) ◽  
pp. 29-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Vining ◽  
Edgarita Long ◽  
Ella Inglebret ◽  
Megan Brendal
Keyword(s):  
American Indian ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Alaska Native ◽  
Dual Language ◽  
Linguistic Diversity ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Language Assessment ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Dual Language Learners ◽  
Native Communities

The overrepresentation of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) children in special education, including children who are dual language learners (DLLs), is a major concern. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) can play a critical role in reducing this overrepresentation. Using a holistic assessment process that is responsive to the communication patterns of home and community contexts provides a framework for distinguishing actual language disorders from differences associated with cultural and linguistic diversity. This article presents current trends in Native communities that may impact the speech-language assessment process, including a shift from indigenous languages to English and/or Native language revitalization efforts. It also provides a framework for guiding assessment in a manner that considers cultural and linguistic factors in speech-language assessment for AI/AN children who are DLLs.

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