Association for Behavior Analysis International

Researchers in the field of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have made significant progress in assessment of social-communication and other ASD-related impairments. However, there is still a great deal to be learned about profiles of ability and disability characteristic of individuals with different neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), and about the ways in which particular abnormalities manifest at different points in development. Dr. Bishop will present information about behavioral dimensions that are most relevant to assessment and differential diagnosis of ASD and other NDDs. She will also discuss the importance of considering individual factors such as age, sex, IQ, and language level when interpreting scores from standardized measures for diagnostic or other purposes. Integrated assessment across multiple behavioral domains is not only needed to ensure valid diagnostic practices, but more importantly, to generate individualized and meaningful treatment plans. Improved coordination between diagnostic and treatment providers is essential for increasing efficiency and utility of current assessment practices. Additionally, there is a need for increased coordination of measurement strategies across disciplines, in order to ensure appropriate selection of short-and long-term goals and corresponding measures of change. Ultimately, we must toward more coordinated and goal-directed assessment practices that do not place such a premium on diagnostic labels, but instead focus on generating information that directly facilitates treatment for a given individual at a particular moment in time.