Assessment of Autism Spectrum Disorders

by Sam Goldstein (Editor), Jack A. Naglieri (Editor), Sally Ozonoff (Editor)

Significant progress has been made in assessing children with autism spectrum disorders, but the field has lacked a single, comprehensive resource that assembles current best practices within a unified assessment framework. This authoritative book demonstrates how to craft a complete, scientifically grounded, and clinically useful portrait of a child's strengths and difficulties in social behavior, language and communication, intellectual functioning, motor skills, and other key areas of impairment and comorbidity. Leading experts illustrate ways in which school and clinical practitioners can integrate data from a variety of sources to improve the accuracy of diagnosis and inform the development of individualized interventions.

Genres: Psychology, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Textbooks, Nonfiction

384 pages, Hardcover

First published September 19, 2008

Reviews

[Rayne Day · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very dense

Some of this information was dense and hard to process. Although, it has a lot of great information. The programs for persons with autism have a wide range!!! Take this book one chapter at a time.

[Lee Wilkinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The editors of “Assessment of Autism Spectrum Disorders” have brought together an excellent group of contributors to provide comprehensive coverage of this important and timely topic. The chapters are well edited and describe approaches for evaluating specific areas of impairment including: social behavior; speech, language and communication; intellectual functioning; neuropsychological functioning; and co-occurring problems. Topics also include school-based assessment, how to communicate findings to parents, strategies for avoiding under- and over-diagnosis, and alternative assessment methods. While the primary emphasis of the text is on children, several chapters discuss assessment issues related to adolescents and young adults. Chapter 12 should be of particular interest to the school-based professional as it focuses on the assessment of autism spectrum disorders in the school setting. Although the chapter provides important descriptive information, its relevance to school-based practice would have been enhanced by including an autism specific algorithm to illustrate best practice in screening and assessment. Supplemental resources will be needed for those school-based practitioners seeking a more comprehensive description of the assessment process, school-based intervention strategies, and "best practice" guidelines.

[Elizabeth Finnegan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book reviews the assessments used to evaluate individuals with autism. The chapters are written by different authors. As such there is significant overlap in the material. In the early chapters especially, it is very repetitive. In addition, a lot of the information is very technical. Reliability and validity statistics are difficult for the layperson to wade through. There also seems to be a reluctance to admit that many tests don't meet the standards the authors deem necessary for validity and reliability. Researchers and specialists in the field of autism may find this book a useful resource. Parents and teachers may find the chapters on co-morbidity and case studies helpful, as these seem to be written for a broader audience. 4/50

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent resource for clinicians who provide evaluations for Autism Spectrum Disorder as well as counselors who work with this population. I also feel that parents of children on the spectrum may find this book helpful in understanding the assessment process. The book also covers current research and recommended treatments for autism.

[Pamela Sloss · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good research book for those needing to find out more about autism. This is not necessarily for the layperson. This would be a book more for a scholar needing statistical data or a professional who works with children who have ASD.

[Don · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best overview and the chapter on differential diagnosis is exceptionally well done.