Autism Assessment Tools

In the data collection step of autism assessment, autism assessment tools are a great help for collecting behavioral, developmental, and functional data. Each tool has its own purpose and contribution to understanding the overall condition of an individual. Here’s an overview of the autism assessment tools. 

• Screening tools 

Screening tools are the ones which are used for early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). These tools help in the identification of children who are at risk of developing autism. 

Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) is a widely used screening tool for toddlers that comprises a list of questions related to the behavioral and developmental milestones of the child. With the help of these questions, the therapist analyzes whether further evaluation is required or not. 

Screening Tool for Autism in Toddlers and Young Children (STAT) is another screening tool that comprises interactive activities. With this tool, the therapist analyzes the behavior of the children closely and identifies the children who need further evaluation. 

• Diagnostic tools 

Diagnostic tools are used to confirm the formal diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). These tools also identify the areas that need immediate attention. The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) is a structured assessment that is considered a gold standard for diagnosing ASD as it involves engaging the child in different activities to monitor their repetitive behavior, social interactions, etc. 

Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) is a comprehensive interview conducted with parents and caregivers to get details of the child’s behaviors at home and in other settings. Child Autism Rating Scale (CARS) is a scale that evaluates the severity of autism based on the results of ADOS and ADI-R. 

• Adaptive behavior assessments

These assessments help in evaluating the individual’s ability to perform tasks independently. In these assessments, the therapist analyzes how well the autistic individual can manage daily life tasks and social interactions. 

The Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale (VABS) provides insights into the ability of an individual to perform tasks. It measures adaptive behavior in multiple domains, such as social interactions, communication, motor skills, and daily life skills.

 Adaptive Behavior Assessment System (ABAS) is another autism assessment tool that helps analyze adaptive skills in areas such as self-care and home and community interactions. It mainly focuses on how well an individual can manage life independently. 

• Cognitive and language assessments 

An ABA therapist conducts cognitive and language assessments to evaluate the language skills and intellectual abilities of a person. This assessment enables the effective identification of the key areas that need to be addressed. 

Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) is basically an intelligence test that provides a comprehensive overview of the child’s intelligence in multiple aspects, such as verbal comprehension, fluid reasoning, working memory, visual-spatial, and processing speed.

Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) is another test that measures language skills and understanding of single-word vocabulary. The child is asked to identify pictures of spoken words. 

• Social communication assessments

These assessments are conducted to determine how well children with ASD can interact and communicate with others. The Social Responsive Scale (SRS) is one of the social communication assessments that assesses the child’s ability to socially interact and communicate. 

Test of Pragmatic Language (TOPL) is also used in which the therapist analyzes the ability of the child to understand intentions, thoughts, beliefs, and feelings and whether the child is able to understand and use the intellectual information or not. 

• Sensory processing assessments

Children with ASD receive and process information from the sensory systems, including gustatory, auditory, olfactory, tactile, and visual, slowly compared to non-autistic children. Sensory processing assessments help identify the severity of the problem and make effective interventions. 

The sensory profile is a questionnaire through which the therapist assesses how a child is reacting to sensory stimuli and how they impact the behavior. The sensory Processing Test (SPT) is another assessment comprising 17 tests that measure several aspects of sensory testing.