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Standardized Assessment of Prelinguistic Communication

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Book cover Prelinguistic and Minimally Verbal Communicators on the Autism Spectrum

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Abstract

The assessment of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at the prelinguistic stage of communication development requires a comprehensive approach. Standardized assessments can contribute valuable information to the evaluation of each individual’s strengths and needs, from screening through to diagnosis, treatment planning, and treatment evaluation. However, using standardized assessments with this population can be challenging, given that many assessments require the individual to have symbolic communication skills. In this chapter, we outline the components of a comprehensive assessment, discuss the ways in which standardized assessments can inform clinical decision making, and provide recommendations to address the common challenges associated with using standardized assessments with prelinguistic individuals with ASD.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Throughout this chapter, we refer to children as prelinguistic, with the assumption that linguistic skills are still to emerge, and adults as lacking linguistic communication, thereby avoiding a developmental assumption.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia

    David Trembath

  2. La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University, Bendigo, VIC, Australia

    Teresa Iacono

Authors
  1. David Trembath
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  2. Teresa Iacono
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Correspondence to David Trembath .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Schl of Educational and Profess Studies, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

    Deb Keen

  2. Department of Special Education, University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois, USA

    Hedda Meadan

  3. University of Kansas, Department of Speech Language Hearing Sc, Lawrence, Kansas, USA

    Nancy C. Brady

  4. Department of Special Education, University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois, USA

    James W. Halle

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Trembath, D., Iacono, T. (2016). Standardized Assessment of Prelinguistic Communication. In: Keen, D., Meadan, H., Brady, N., Halle, J. (eds) Prelinguistic and Minimally Verbal Communicators on the Autism Spectrum. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-0713-2_5

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