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What PCIT Clinicians Need to Know About ASD Assessment

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Handbook of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy for Children on the Autism Spectrum

Abstract

As a clinician delivering Parent–Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) who works with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), you will play some role in assessment of ASD, either peripherally or centrally. This chapter will help orient you to the intake and assessment tasks you will likely encounter, regardless of your role. Questions about ASD that frequently arise during intake are addressed first. Second, surveillance and screening of ASD is reviewed. Third, the components of evidence-based comprehensive diagnostic assessment, including structured and semi-structured parent interviews, collateral reports, objective assessments of core symptoms of ASD, questionnaire assessment of ASD symptoms, cognitive evaluations, assessment of adaptive behavior, and evaluation of language and communication are discussed. Fourth, ongoing assessment and progress monitoring is addressed, including a review of functional behavioral assessment, preference assessment, assessment of problem behavior, and assessment of core symptoms of ASD. Last, we outline ways to help families pre- and post-diagnosis.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, California State University, San Bernardino, CA, USA

    Stacy S. Forcino

  2. Division of Developmental and Behavioral Sciences, Children’s Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, KS, USA

    Cy B. Nadler

  3. Department of Pediatrics, University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine, Kansas City, MO, USA

    Cy B. Nadler

Authors
  1. Stacy S. Forcino
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  2. Cy B. Nadler
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Correspondence to Stacy S. Forcino .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA

    Cheryl Bodiford McNeil

  2. Department of Psychology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA

    Lauren Borduin Quetsch

  3. National Autism Center, May Institute, Randolph, MA, USA

    Cynthia M. Anderson

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Forcino, S.S., Nadler, C.B. (2018). What PCIT Clinicians Need to Know About ASD Assessment. In: McNeil, C., Quetsch, L., Anderson, C. (eds) Handbook of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy for Children on the Autism Spectrum. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-03213-5_31

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