Types of autism screening and assessment tools

The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2) is a semi-structured, standardised assessment tool used to support the assessment of autism. The ADOS-2 involves direct observation of a person’s social communication, interaction, and behaviours through a series of structured and play-based activities. Developmental history is typically gathered separately using other tools (such as interviews) as part of a broader assessment. The ADOS-2 comes with a standardised assessment kit containing toys and materials. The ADOS-2 can be reliably used for toddlers through to adults.

Monteiro Interview Guidelines for Diagnosing Autism Spectrum Second Editon (MIGDAS-2) is a neurodiversity-affirming diagnosis structured interview tool to support the assessment of autism. It’s a strength-based tool, looking at communication styles and sensory-based interview to understand sensory preferences. The MIGDAS-2 can be reliably used from pre-school age through to adults.

The Autism Diagnostic Interview–Revised (ADI-R) is a semi-structured, standardised interview commonly used to support the assessment of autism. The interview is conducted with a parent or carer who knows the child well. It focuses on the person’s early development, communication, social interaction, and behaviours.

The ADI-R typically takes around 90 minutes to complete and is frequently used alongside other tools such as the ADOS-2.

When assessing autism or other developmental differences in Australia, it’s important to look at the broad picture. Often several different assessments are used together to understand a child’s thinking and learning abilities, daily living skills, communication patterns and how they respond to sensory information. These assessments can help families, schools, and health professionals know a child’s strengths and challenges, and decide on the right supports, strategies, and learning plans. Each assessment gives part of the story, and all the information is used together to get a clear and accurate understanding of the child.

Adaptive behaviour scales are standardised assessments used to measure a person’s everyday functioning and independence in daily life.
They assess the practical skills people use to look after themselves and function in their environment. These skills include:

• Conceptual skills (e.g. communication, literacy, understanding of time and money)
• Social skills (e.g. interpersonal skills, social awareness, relationships)
• Practical skills (e.g. personal care, daily living activities, organisation, safety)

These assessments are usually completed through questionnaires or structured interviews with the person themselves, parents and carers, or teachers.

Psychologists will sometimes use standardised cognitive assessments to understand a child’s learning profiles, strengths and areas of support. This could be an intelligence test (sometimes called an IQ test), but also to understand a child’s memory, processing speed, visual reasoning and attention. In children, results from cognitive assessments can help:

• Guide educational planning and classroom support.
• Inform learning strategies and school placement decisions.
• Identify co-occurring learning difficulties or intellectual disability, which may be relevant in autism assessments.
• Identify if a child or young person is twice exceptional or 2e (gifted with a disability) who may have a need for more challenging work at school.

This is a self-report, and/or carer reported standardised assessment that maps a person’s unique sensory profile. This will identify a person’s unique sensory processing patterns and how they influence everyday life. The assessment identifies strengths, sensitivities, and challenges in how a person responds to sensory input.

In Australia, the Sensory Profile is commonly used by occupational therapists as part of a comprehensive assessment, including autism assessments, to provide insight into sensory differences and to inform interventions, environmental modifications, or supports

Speech pathologists often provide communication assessments, particularly for children. These assessments look at a child:

• Expressive language (how they communicate their thoughts)
• Receptive language (how they understand others)
• Pragmatic (social) communication skills.

Speech pathologists also assess speech sound development (articulation) and play skills, which are important for communication and social development.