Have you suspected that you or your child may be Autistic? Have others told you that you or your child may be Autistic? Have you or your child frequently felt different or misunderstood by others? Have you noticed it is difficult for you or your child to start or maintain conversations with peers? Have you noticed that you or you child seem to have difficulty managing in educational or occupational settings? Have you found that certain lights, sounds, textures, or even smells seem to impact you or your child, more than others? We at Capitol Psychological Assessment, Inc. are here to help you gain clarity and understanding!
What is Autism?
Autism is a natural variation of the human brain that includes differences in development, communication, understanding, and experience of the world. It’s like having a unique operating system in your brain that may impact how you understand and interact with others. It is a way of seeing the world through a fresh lens. Just like everyone else, Autistic individuals have their own strengths and challenges. Autistic individuals may experience intense creativity and passion, speak with great honesty, exhibit lazer focus, identify and recognize patterns that others’ miss, and express themselves in authentic and meaningful ways. In turn, they may experience life and communicate in ways that differ from the mainstream, which can make it easy to feel misunderstood or pressured to fit in.
Autism may look different in a few ways:
1. Communication: Autistic individuals might find it hard to pick up on neurotypical social cues, like understanding when someone is joking or feeling sad. They might also have difficulty expressing themselves through words or gestures. But that doesn’t mean they don’t want to communicate – they just have their own way of doing it.
2. Social Interaction: Making friends and understanding social situations can be a bit trickier for Autistic individuals. They might not always know how to start conversations or join in group activities, but that doesn’t mean they don’t want to be part of things.
3. Repetitive Behaviors: You might notice some Autistic people doing things like repeating the same movements or actions. These actions can help them feel comfortable and manage their feelings in a world that can sometimes be overwhelming. They might like routines and sticking to the same schedule because it helps them feel safe and happy. They might do things like rocking back and forth or repeating words and actions, to help themselves feel more safe and comfortable.
4. Sensory Sensitivity: Imagine having super senses – like being able to hear sounds that others can’t, or feeling textures more intensely. Autistic individuals can have these super-sensitive senses, and it might sometimes make certain sounds, lights, or textures uncomfortable for them.
5. Special Interests: Many Autistic people have deep passions for specific topics. It’s like having a favorite subject that you’re really, really into – but for them, it might be something they’re incredibly knowledgeable about and can talk about for hours. For instance, they might really enjoy specific things like trains, animals, or numbers. The ‘spectrum’ part of Autism means that it’s not the same for everyone. Some people might have more challenges in certain areas, while others might have fewer challenges and more strengths.
Why is Autism testing important and what does it consist of?
If you or your child have ever felt different, misunderstood, or pressured to hide your true self, you’re not alone— and your experiences are real, valid, and may be associated with Autism. Participating in psychological testing can help you better understand yourself or your child, help inform treatment decisions, and open doors to a range of services such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, behavioral interventions, and/or educational accommodations. Our neuroaffirmative approach to psychological evaluations aims to honor you or your child’s story, and help you to make sense of the challenges you or your child have faced, while celebrating the qualities that make you or your child exceptional. A comprehensive evaluation can be an empowering first step toward embracing your neurodivergence, learning to advocate for yourself, providing your family with valuable insight, and connecting you to a larger community of people who share similar experiences.
At Capitol Psychological Assessment, Inc. Autism testing involves a series of conversations and assessment measures, completed with a trained psychologist who specializes in understanding how people think, feel, and interact. The evaluation typically consists of 3-4 sessions and includes the following components:
1. Initial Consultation: The evaluating psychologist will review the testing process with you and gather information about what you hope to gain from the evaluation, as well as questions you may have. Expectations, fees, and potential outcomes will all be addressed in this initial free 15-minute consultation.
2. Initial Conversation/Interview: The evaluating psychologist will meet with you and/or your child and ask questions about you/your child’s history, experiences, challenges, and strengths. As part of this interview, your psychologist will also assess for other neurotypes and mental health conditions- such as ADHD or social anxiety- to help rule out other diagnoses that may look like Autism.
3. Psychological testing: Next, you and/or your child may be asked to fill out questionnaires where you/they talk about feelings, interests, or experiences. You/your child may be asked to participate in interactive testing, which may include doing tasks, puzzles, and games to better understand how your/your child’s brain works and better understand your/your child’s strengths and challenges. Testing may also include assessment of how you/your child communicate, both verbally and non-verbally, and how you/your child respond to different sensory experiences. One common tool used in the assessment of Autsm is the Autism Diagnostic Observation Scale, Second Edition (ADOS-2) which assesses communication and social interaction. The assessment itself may vary slightly from one individual to the next, depending on a few factors such as speech level and age. Beyond this, other rating scales, tests of learning, attention and memory, and measures of mood/personality may be administered to ensure we arrive at the most accurate diagnosis/diagnoses possible. Testing will be tailored to your/your child’s individual presentation and needed areas of exploration. Testing will take place over the course of 1-3 sessions.
4. Review of academic or treatment records: If authorized, the psychologist may review academic or treatment records to gather more information about you/your child’s functioning in a school setting and consider prior diagnoses and treatment efficacy.
5. Collateral information: If authorized, the psychologist may gather information from family members, friends, teachers, providers, or other relevant sources to gain a more complete understanding of you/your child’s symptoms and functioning.
6. Feedback session: You and/or your child will participate in a meeting with the evaluating psychologist to discuss the results and findings of the evaluation. During the feedback session, the psychologist will review the psychological test findings, what those results mean, and share their observations and interpretations. The psychologist will provide a diagnosis, along with recommendations and next steps. You will be provided with a detailed report that outlines you or your child’s story, diagnosis, and recommendations for moving forward in treatment, day-to-day life, work/school, and relationships. As warranted, you can request letters of accommodation to assist you or your child in reaching full potential in work and/or school.
Differential Diagnosis
It is important to note that Autism testing is not a single test or procedure, but rather a comprehensive evaluation that may involve several components. Full psychological testing is important, because Autism is a complex trajectory that can show up in different ways in different people and sometimes, experiences of Autism can be confused with other conditions. For example, Autism and ADHD can sometimes present similarly, which can make it difficult to distinguish between the two. For example, Autistic individuals and individuals diagnosed with ADHD may both experience:
Difficulty focusing, staying organized, or following through on tasks
Difficulty managing unexpected change
Sensory sensitivities
Emotional or social differences