As rates of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) increase, there is an increasing need for clinicians who offer accurate ASD assessments. The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2) is a standardized assessment tool that is commonly recommended for use in comprehensive ASD evaluations. However, practitioners do not always follow…

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is often diagnosed by clinical practitioners with criteria from the American Psychiatric Association, but an educational diagnosis is usually based on state special education law and is geared towards addressing concerns within schools. The current study aims to examine the extent to which the clinical diagnosis of…

Providing high-quality services to autistic students and their caregivers requires interprofessional collaboration. This paper highlights the importance of collaboration between clinical and school settings to promote integrated and comprehensive care for autistic students and their caregivers. First, we present how autistic students are…

The heterogeneous nature of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) makes accurate diagnosis challenging. Best practice assessments in schools can open pathways to appropriate interventions and educational placements for those with ASD, as well as help identify a student's strengths. There are various tools used in school settings to assess autism. In this…

Adaptive behavior skills are often delayed in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and these behaviors are significantly associated with poor outcomes in adulthood, especially for autistic individuals that have no cognitive and/or language delays. Therefore, despite having the capacity to be self-sufficient, the vast majority of autistic adults fail to…

School psychologists familiar with the autism evaluation process have an awareness of the complexity of this school-based process. This paper provides school clinicians with an introduction to a visual framework and descriptive language to think and talk about the complex students they evaluate in positive, nuanced, and accessible terms. This…

Historically, Black children with autism have faced diagnostic and treatment disparities across clinical and school samples despite nationally growing autism prevalence rates. Delays in receiving an accurate diagnosis impacts treatment and overall outcomes. Black autistic children are at-risk of facing multiple barriers to receiving a timely…

Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the importance of telehealth has rapidly increased, in particular as many in-person clinics have closed. Early intervention is crucial for improving outcomes in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). As such, the need for timely assessments and diagnoses remains despite…

This study is intended to enhance our understanding of the dramatic increase in autism prevalence rates across the United States. A robust national and multistate sample of children and youth (5-22 years of age) was gathered and analyzed, using visual and statistical analysis of autism eligibility over a 15- to 17-year period. Although the impact…

With the increasing prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), clinicians and schools are receiving a larger number of assessment referrals for eligibility or diagnostic clarification of ASD in children who are deaf and hard of hearing (D/HH). Meeting this increasing demand is often difficult given not all assessment professionals seek…

Successful treatment of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is entirely contingent on an accurate diagnosis. Although many resources exist to help the clinician with differential diagnosis of children, particularly in early childhood, the resources available for evaluating adolescents and adults is far less prevalent. Clinicians often…

We examined the interrelationships among symptoms related to autism spectrum disorders (ASD) using a large representative sample and clinical groups of children aged 6 to 11 and youth aged 12 to 18 years rated by parents (N = 1,881) or teachers (N = 2,171). The samples included individuals from the United States and Canada from the standardization…

Students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) present unique programming challenges to school personnel because of the wide variability of clinical symptoms and the high rates of emotional and/or behavior disorders (EBD) that can affect learning outcomes. Currently, there is little empirically based guidance to assist in determining the support…

Each year, an increasing number of children and adolescents are diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). ASDs involve impairment to an individual's social, language, and behavioral functioning. Due to the complexity of this disorder, a comprehensive, multidisciplinary assessment and treatment approach is recommended in order to meet the…

Two observational systems were employed to measure the behavior patterns of two elementary-age autistic children and their classroom peers during a free-play period. The results obtained were discussed in terms of their significance for the clinical treatment of autistic behavior, and the evaluation of such treatment. (Author)