Autism Assessment
At Socially Speaking, our Psychologist embraces a neurodiversity perspective throughout the assessment, report, and feedback process. We are also very familiar with the language, recommendations, and procedures required to support access to additional resources, such as school funding and NDIS funding. Our goal is for the assessment process to be a journey where our clients feel seen, heard, and understood.
ADOS Assessment Process for Teens and Young Adults
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At Socially Speaking, we tailor the ADOS (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule) assessment to be age-appropriate and relevant for teens and young adults. Here’s what you can expect:
1. Preparation
- Background Information: Our clinician will review developmental history, medical records, school reports, and previous assessments. Parents or the individual themselves may be asked to complete questionnaires about behavior and development.
- Interviews: The clinician may conduct interviews with the individual and their parents or caregivers to gather detailed information about social interactions, communication, and daily functioning.
2. Choosing the Module
- The appropriate ADOS module is selected based on the individual's age and verbal communication skills. For teens and young adults, we typically use:
- Module 3: For verbally fluent children and adolescents.
- Module 4: For verbally fluent adolescents and adults.
3. Structured Activities
- The assessment involves a series of structured and semi-structured activities designed to elicit behaviors relevant to diagnosing ASD. Activities for teens and young adults may include:
- Conversational Tasks: Engaging in conversations to assess language and communication skills.
- Interview and Discussion: Talking about interests, daily life, and hypothetical situations to evaluate social insight and understanding.
- Narrative Tasks: Asking the individual to tell a story or describe a picture to assess communication and imagination.
- Play and Imagination: While less focused on play compared to younger children, there might still be some tasks that involve creativity and imagination.
4. Observation
- The clinician observes and records specific behaviours, including, facial expressions, body language, use of gestures, social reciprocity, and conversational skills.
5. Scoring
- After the session, the clinician scores the observed behaviors using a standardised scoring system. The scores help to identify the presence and severity of autism-related behaviours.
6. Diagnosis and Feedback
- The clinician integrates the ADOS results with other gathered information, such as interviews and questionnaires, to make a diagnosis. The findings are then discussed with the individual and their parents or caregivers, and a detailed report is usually provided.
7. Follow-Up
- Based on the results, we provide recommendations for interventions, therapies, or further assessments. The clinician may suggest educational accommodations, social skills training, or other supportive measures. Follow-up appointments may also be recommended to monitor progress and adjust the intervention plan as needed.
The ADOS assessment for teens and young adults at Socially Speaking is designed to be comprehensive and sensitive to the nuances of social and communication behaviors at this developmental stage.
What are the costs?
A comprehensive assessment with a Psychologist is $1000, with an additional $850 for the detailed report.
How can I make an appointment?
Our assessments are available from October 2024, and to make an appointment, please send us an email using the contact form below, and we will reach out to book you in.
Are you neuro affirming?
At Socially Speaking, we recognise that neurodiversity brings both unique strengths and challenges. We meet each person with curiosity and openness, empowering our clients to understand themselves more deeply, develop new strategies for overcoming challenges, and thrive.
While practical skills and coaching are important, we also address the emotional impact of neurodiversity on self-confidence, self-concept, and self-worth.
Our flexible and inclusive environment ensures everyone feels valued. Together, we can discover meaningful ways to live well with neurodiversity, even during tough times.
