Autism Testing for Adults

Diagnostic Assessments for
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

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What is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)?

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects individuals across the lifespan, with an estimated prevalence of about 1 in 36 people in the U.S. (CDC, 2020). Autism is characterized by core symptoms including:

  • Difficulties with social communication and interaction
  • Repetitive behaviors
  • Sensory issues

The symptoms of autism differ greatly from person to person. An individual with ASD can have more severe symptoms in one area but mild symptoms in another.

Many adults on the spectrum also have other mental health issues or differences such as:

  • Anxiety and OCD
  • ADHD
  • Developmental delays

This variation and overlap in symptoms can make ASD difficult to identify. Our psychologists are experts in diagnosing and working with people on the spectrum. An evaluation is a key first step to understanding and managing your symptoms.

What are the symptoms of autism spectrum disorder?

Social Communication and Interaction Difficulties
► Using and interpreting verbal and nonverbal communication
► Starting or maintaining conversations
► Recognizing social cues or following social rules
► Making and keeping friends
Repetitive Behaviors► Repetitive movements
► Insistence on sameness or routine
► Resistance to change
► Narrow interests or fixations
Sensory Issues► Oversensitivity to lights, sounds, or textures
► Picky eating
► Sensory-seeking behaviors

Research shows that ASD often co-occurs with other disorders, such as anxiety and ADHD, and that there is significant symptom overlap in these and other diagnoses.

How is autism diagnosed and treated?

Autism is a behavioral diagnosis, meaning there is no blood or medical test that can identify someone as being on the spectrum. With our assessment service, we provide Therapy Lab's targeted, science-backed approach in order to offer your family diagnostic clarity, recommendations for next steps, and documentation necessary to move forward.

Many adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) go undiagnosed or receive a delayed diagnosis due to the misconception that autism only affects children.

What are the benefits of testing for autism spectrum disorder (ASD)?

Understanding autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and how its symptoms affect you can provide guidance in securing effective services to develop strengths and address challenges.

Understand yourself better

Why do you do          ? Why is          so challenging for me, when it seems so easy for everyone else?

Autism and its accompanying unique symptoms may be the answer.

Long-term effects

Undiagnosed and untreated autism has been linked to later risk for anxiety and mood disorders, as well as behavioral, social, academic, and vocational problems.

Experience greater self-compassion

Knowing more about yourself and the differences in experience you may have from the neurotypical world can lead to more self-acceptance. With further understanding of your identity, we hope you will experience higher levels of self-compassion.

Determine appropriate treatment or support

We will help you determine what may meet your specific needs best: individual therapy, social skills groups, connecting with others on the spectrum, support for daily living skills, etc.

Access accommodations at your job

We know that people on the spectrum often have different strengths and weaknesses in the workplace than their neurotypical coworkers. If you wish to disclose your diagnosis to your boss and/or HR, you may be able to access accommodations that would not otherwise be offered (e.g., quiet workspace, wearing headphones during your work day, accessing written instructions for projects, movement breaks).

What should I expect for my evaluation?

Discovery Appointment

The first step is meeting with one of our licensed psychologists who is an expert in neurodivergence.

This appointment includes:
► Review the results of a few questionnaires you'll complete before your appointment
► Talk about your current concerns
► Confirm your goals can be achieved with our assessment options
► Plan your (or your child's) individualized evaluation

We are able to accommodate remote assessments in California and Washington or in-office at our Los Angeles location.

Results Appointment

Once testing and information gathering is done, we'll schedule a meeting to discuss what we have learned and any diagnoses.

This appointment includes:
► Review testing results
► Discuss any diagnoses given
► Learn more about next steps
► Ask questions

We've tailored this appointment with different learning styles in mind. We'll go through your testing results, any diagnoses, and your next steps with visuals.

Don't need a comprehensive report? No problem. We’ve condensed your results to just the most valuable information: summaries of testing completed, any diagnoses*, and our recommendations.

*We provide DSM-5/ICD-11 medical diagnoses that you can share with other health providers, your insurance company, state programs, etc.

Assessment Components

The building blocks of your assessment may include:

Interview about possible symptoms of ASD and/or ADHD
In-person assessment or observation
Daycare or school observation (child only)
Computer testing
Receiving information from your family or friends (adult only) or teachers (child only)
Friends and family interview (adult only) or teacher interview (child only)
Evaluation of your (or your child's) social abilities
IQ testing
Questionnaire about your (or your child's) daily living skills
Collaborating with your (or your child's) other providers
Assessment of mood or anxiety symptoms
Exploration of "masking" symptoms (adult only)
How long does it take?

Most adults complete about 5 hours of testing across 2 to 3 appointments.

Most children and their families complete about 6 hours of testing across 2 to 3 appointments.

The third-party questionnaire process can take up to six weeks.

Assessments are available for individuals in California (in person and remote) and Washington (remote).

Pricing

The cost of the assessment is determined by your specific needs. The average assessment costs $3,000.

For more information on pricing, contact us.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if I don't receive an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis?

Regardless of whether you are given a diagnosis of ASD, we are here to offer support and guidance. For most other mental health concerns, such as anxiety or depression, we are able to assess and diagnose these through our Comprehensive Assessment for ASD.  If we believe that Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity (ADHD) might be a more appropriate (or additional) diagnosis for your child, we can provide clarity through testing for a supplemental fee. And if we think further neuropsychological testing is needed (e.g., for a suspected learning or intellectual disability), we can provide referrals for supplemental testing and collaborate with other providers.

Should you seek treatment related to other mental health concerns, we offer evidence-based therapy in person and via telehealth. You can learn more about our therapy plans here.

Why should I choose an autism-specific evaluation vs. neuropsychological or psycho-educational testing?

There are a number of benefits of choosing ASD-specific evaluation over other types of testing:
► More cost-effective
► Fewer appointments or hours of testing
► Greater focus on autism-specific symptoms
► Resources and recommendations specific to ASD

Our evaluators have extensive experience working with people on the spectrum of all ages and presentations. We have expertise in identifying ASD and co-occurring conditions, such as anxiety, depression, trauma, and ADHD. Because there is significant symptom overlap in ASD and other disorders, this expertise is critical for accurate diagnosis and subsequent treatment recommendations.

Additionally, neurodiversity among girls, women, and people of color has frequently been overlooked or misdiagnosed. We feel confident in our ability to identify ASD symptoms in these populations, enabling proper diagnosis and appropriate subsequent intervention.

There is no lab test or medical diagnostic that can identify ASD. Research supports reliable diagnosis as early as 18 months of age; we have expertise in identifying very early signs of ASD, leading to earlier treatment and better social-communication outcomes. Additionally, our psychologists are skilled in identifying children and teens with mild symptoms of ASD, whose deficits may be missed due to compensatory behaviors (i.e., “masking”). For some children and teens, weaknesses in communication and social skills may only become noticeable as social demands increase, starting in middle school and beyond. Professionals without training and experience working with neurodiverse populations may miss mild, subtle, or atypical symptoms. Less targeted assessment may not provide detailed investigation necessary to identify subtler, but still interfering and distressing, symptoms of autism.

What is the difference between autism, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Asperger's Syndrome, and being "on the spectrum"?

Technically in today’s clinical practice, there is not much of a difference between these terms.

In 2013, the criteria used to diagnose autism changed. Before 2013, there were several different disorders under the same diagnostic “umbrella” –  Autistic Disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome/Asperger’s, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS). Research suggested that these labels reflected a common set of symptoms of varying quality or severity rather than distinct conditions. As a result, these diagnoses were all combined into Autism Spectrum Disorder. This term is shortened to ASD and/or Autism (capitalized or lowercase “a”), and people diagnosed with ASD may be referred to as being “on the spectrum.” People with the previous diagnoses listed above generally fit the criteria for the newer diagnosis of ASD. Some individuals who meet the criteria for ASD continue to self-identify as having asperger’s syndrome, as they feel the previous criteria is more representative of their characteristics.

Autism or ASD is a social communication disorder at its core but affects other areas of functioning as well. Current diagnostic criteria separates symptoms of ASD into two major domains: Social Communication and Restricted Interests/Repetitive Behaviors.
► The Social Communication domain includes challenges in interacting with others in a back-and-forth way, differences in using and understanding nonverbal behavior like eye contact or gestures, and trouble making and maintaining relationships.
► The Restricted Interests/Repetitive Behaviors domain includes repetitive movements and speech, inflexibility, fixated or intense interests, and sensory issues.

To meet criteria, a person must have symptoms in each area that interfere with their daily living.  When an ASD diagnosis is assigned, the clinician will provide “severity” levels for each of these domains, which signifies how much support the person may need to manage interfering symptoms in those areas. (For the full diagnostic criteria, please refer to the CDC website.)

Have more questions? Contact us.