What to Expect During an Autism Assessment
19th May 2025
Getting Started with Your Autism Assessment
When you begin your autism assessment journey with us, you’ll be supported by a dedicated member of our team who will coordinate your experience from day one. This person—your Assessment Coordinator—will ensure everything runs smoothly, making the process as straightforward and stress-free as possible.
Your Coordinator’s Role Includes:
- Gathering key background and developmental information
- Organising input from schools, nurseries, or educational settings if needed
- Reaching out to a nominated informant, such as a parent, partner, or friend (when applicable)
- Handling the booking and scheduling of all assessment sessions
- Acting as a communication bridge between you and the clinical specialists
- Facilitating clinician contact if questions or additional support arise
With a clear understanding of the assessment process and a warm, professional approach, your coordinator will be there to support you every step of the way.
Step 1: Background Information Gathering
Before we begin an autism assessment, we start by gathering important background information. This helps us understand the individual’s developmental history, current needs, and plan the most appropriate type of assessment.
For children, understanding their language level helps us select the right ADOS-2 module. For adults, we consider whether someone close to them—such as a parent, sibling, or partner—can provide insights into their early development.
Autism Screening Questionnaires
As part of this stage, we’ll ask you to complete a set of autism screening tools. These help us identify traits commonly associated with autism and gain a fuller picture of the individual’s experiences.
Depending on age and circumstances, we may use:
- M-CHAT (Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers)
- AQ-50 (Autism Quotient)
- EQ-50 (Empathy Quotient)
- For children, these are typically completed by a parent or carer.
- For adults, some forms are filled in by the individual and others by someone who knows them well.
All forms can be completed easily on a phone, tablet, or computer at your convenience.
Input from Educational Settings
If the person being assessed is in school or another educational setting, we will ask for your consent to contact their teachers or support staff. This helps us gather a broader understanding of how they interact and function in a classroom or peer environment.
Assessment Sessions
As part of our comprehensive autism assessment process, you will attend two separate sessions, each with a different clinician. These sessions are designed to provide a well-rounded understanding of both current behaviours and lifelong patterns linked to autism.
Observation Session
Session 1: Observing Social Communication & Behaviour
In this session, a clinician will focus on how you (or your child) engage in real-time social interaction. This includes observing communication style, social behaviours, and patterns of response during structured and natural activities. Tools like the ADOS-2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule) may be used to support this assessment. The ADOS 2 is a gold standard internationally recognised assessment tool which has 5 modules which are selected on the client’s age and level of language.
Understanding the ADOS-2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2)
The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2 (ADOS-2) is a key tool in our autism assessment process, providing valuable insights into an individual’s social communication, behaviours, and interaction styles. It is widely considered the gold standard for assessing autism spectrum disorders (ASD) across different age groups, from toddlers to adults.
How the ADOS-2 Works
The ADOS-2 is a semi-structured, play-based assessment designed to observe and record the individual’s behaviour in real-time during a variety of tasks. This assessment focuses on the way an individual communicates, socialises, plays, and responds to various stimuli, providing a clear picture of how autism traits present in everyday interactions.
There are five modules within the ADOS-2, each tailored to specific age groups and language abilities:
- Module 1 – For toddlers with limited or no verbal communication.
- Module 2 – For children who can speak in simple phrases but are not fully conversational.
- Module 3 – For children and adolescents with verbal communication skills.
- Module 4 – For older adolescents and adults who are fluent speakers.
- Module 5 – A module designed for high-functioning adults, assessing social interaction and communication in everyday scenarios.
What Happens During the ADOS-2 Assessment?
The clinician will guide the individual through a series of structured activities that involve conversation, play, storytelling, and problem-solving tasks. These activities are specifically designed to observe social responses, communication styles, and behaviours that are commonly associated with autism.
The clinician will score the responses based on predefined criteria related to:
- Communication skills
- Social interaction abilities
- Repetitive behaviours or restricted interests
- Emotional responses and flexibility
The Role of ADOS-2 in Diagnosis
The ADOS-2 provides valuable quantitative data that is combined with qualitative observations from the clinician. The results are scored to create an overall profile of the individual’s strengths and challenges. This structured approach helps clinicians identify key traits of autism and make a more accurate diagnosis based on evidence-based criteria.
As part of a comprehensive assessment, the ADOS-2 is used in conjunction with other diagnostic tools, such as the ADI-R interview, to form a complete picture of an individual’s behaviour and development. Together, these assessments provide a multidimensional view of autism and support a more reliable and accurate diagnosis.
Diagnostic History Interview
The second session is a detailed conversation exploring autistic traits over time, including those observed in early childhood. A clinician will gather information from you or someone who knows you well (such as a parent, partner, or sibling) to build a complete developmental profile. This helps us understand how autism-related characteristics have presented across different life stages.
Together, these two sessions allow our clinical team to form a comprehensive and accurate diagnosis in line with recognised diagnostic guidelines.
Understanding the ADI-R (Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised)
As part of our comprehensive autism assessment, the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) plays a crucial role in gathering in-depth information about an individual’s development and behavioural history. The ADI-R is a structured, clinician-led interview used to explore a range of key areas linked to autism, including communication, social interaction, repetitive behaviours, and developmental milestones.
How the ADI-R Works
During the interview, the clinician will ask questions about the individual’s early childhood, current behaviour, and any challenges they may face in social situations. This process helps us understand how autism has presented both historically and in the present day.
Information is collected in two primary ways:
- Qualitative Notes – The clinician records specific observations and responses, capturing important context and insights that provide a complete picture of the individual’s experience.
- ADI-R Scoring Algorithm – Responses are also assessed using a standardized scoring system that assigns numerical values based on observed traits. This scoring helps ensure the assessment is based on evidence-based diagnostic criteria.
The Role of ADI-R in Diagnosis
The combination of qualitative data and structured scoring enables clinicians to make a precise, comprehensive diagnosis that adheres to recognised diagnostic guidelines, such as the DSM-V criteria for autism. The ADI-R is an essential tool in our multidisciplinary approach, ensuring all aspects of an individual’s behaviours and history are taken into account when reaching a diagnosis.
Multi-Disciplinary Review Process for Autism Assessment
Once all relevant information has been collected, a multi-disciplinary team of clinicians, including those directly involved in the assessment, meets to review the findings in detail. This collaborative approach ensures that all aspects of the assessment are thoroughly considered.
In-Depth Evaluation & Further Clarification
If the team identifies areas where additional clarity is needed, they may request a follow-up meeting with the client or seek further information using specialised tools such as the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q). This helps the team gain a deeper understanding of how autism traits may be expressed or masked in various settings.
Diagnostic Assessment Based on DSM-5 Criteria
The team carefully reviews all gathered data in light of the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition) criteria for autism spectrum disorder. This ensures that the diagnosis is aligned with established diagnostic standards, leading to a more accurate and reliable outcome.
Final Report & Recommendations
After the review, a detailed assessment report is compiled. This report includes a summary of the information gathered, the rationale behind the diagnostic outcome, and tailored recommendations for next steps. The final report is shared with the client to help guide them through their autism journey and inform future support options.
Post-Assessment Feedback Meeting
After the assessment is completed, we offer an optional feedback meeting to ensure you fully understand the results and feel supported moving forward. This meeting is flexible and tailored to your specific needs, allowing you to use the time in the way that best suits you.
What to Expect During the Feedback Meeting
The meeting can be used to:
- Review the assessment report and explore the findings in detail.
- Discuss specific diagnostic results and their implications.
- Consider the recommendations for next steps and how they apply to your unique situation.
- Seek advice or ask questions regarding specific challenges or needs.
Our aim is to ensure that you leave the feedback meeting with a clear understanding of the assessment results and a roadmap for moving forward.
