Essentials of Autism Spectrum Disorders Evaluation and Assessment (Essentials of Psychological Assessment) [Paperback]

Celine A. Saulnier (Author), Pamela E. Ventola (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 17, 2012 | ISBN-10: 047062194X | ISBN-13: 978-0470621943 | Edition: 1

Quickly acquire the knowledge and skills you need to utilize the varied assessments frequently used in evaluating autism spectrum disorders

With both the detection and awareness of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) on the rise, there is an urgent need for an increasing number of professionals to not only learn about the nature and course of the various autism spectrum disorders, but also to know how to identify, assess, and diagnose the presence of these disorders. Essentials of Autism Spectrum Disorders Evaluation and Assessment addresses the main domains of assessment, defines the purpose of the assessment, suggests test instruments, and discusses the unique clinical applications of each instrument to the diagnosis of ASD.

Like all the volumes in the Essentials of Psychological Assessment series, each concise chapter features numerous callout boxes highlighting key concepts, bulleted points, and extensive illustrative material, as well as test questions that help you gauge and reinforce your grasp of the information covered.

Providing an in-depth look at ASD evaluation and assessment, this straightforward book includes samples of integrated reports from comprehensive model diagnostic evaluations and prepares clinical and school psychologists, as well as speech and language pathologists, to effectively evaluate and assess ASD.

• Complete coverage of the identification andassessment of autism spectrum disorders

• Expert advice on avoiding common pitfalls

• Conveniently formatted for rapid reference

Other titles in the Essentials of Psychological Assessment series:

• Essentials of Dyslexia Assessment and Intervention

• Essentials of Assessment Report Writing

• Essentials of School Neuropsychological Assessment

• Essentials of Evidence-Based Academic Interventions

• Essentials of Specific Learning Disability Identification

• Essentials of Processing Assessment

• Essentials of Executive Function Assessment

• Essentials of Cross-Battery Assessment, Second Edition

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Celine A. Saulnier, Ph.D., is the Director of Clinical Research at the Marcus Autism Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Assistant Professor (CT) in the Division of Autism and Related Disorders, Department of Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine. Previously at Yale, Dr. Saulnier was both the Training Director and the Clinical Director for the Autism Program where she oversaw, conducted, and supervised multidisciplinary diagnostic evaluations on individuals with autism and related disorders from infancy through young adulthood. She has also conducted hundreds of nationwide workshops on the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of autism spectrum disorders resulting in her being awarded the Outstanding Educator Award for Mental Health Education by the New England Educational Institute.

Pamela Ventola, Ph.D., is on the faculty at the Yale Child Study Center, Autism Program. Dr. Ventola has vast experience conducting psychological assessments on children with autism and other developmental disabilities. Her current research focuses on neuropsychological processes in children with autism. Dr. Ventola has written numerous scholarly journal articles and book chapters on developmental disabilities.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (April 17, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 047062194X
• ISBN-13: 978-0470621943
• Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 0.7 x 8.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #64,886 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #41 in Books > Medical Books > Psychology > Testing & Measurement
  • #85 in Books > Parenting & Relationships > Special Needs > Disabilities
  • #95 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Children's Health > Autism & Asperger's Syndrome

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Resource!! July 25, 2012

By M. Rodriguez VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

I am a high school teacher and I am always surprised how many students actually make it through the system up until high school showing signs of Autism or Aspergers, but have never been tested or diagnosed (kind of sad, actually) so I'm always looking for resources that help me become more in tune with identifying these disorders. Although that is not a teacher's job (officially, anyway) to offer a formal evaluation, this book asks a lot of questions about behaviors that allow anyone who is around the child take note of. It also has a lot of smaller boxes with quick cautions, suggestions, and references if you don't have time to read the whole chapter right then, this allows you to quickly flip through and get the main ideas. Another thing that I think is great is that it is written in layman's terms so even teachers or parents who are not educated in advance psychology can understand the terms and explanations. Overall, this is a great resource and I am sure I will be passing it around to all my teacher friends!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Helpful to read as a parent July 19, 2012

By Suzanne Amara VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

I am not a professional, but rather a parent of a daughter with autism, age 7. I was interested in reading this book to get a view of how autism is evaluated, and to better understand her diagnosis. This book was quite helpful. It was clear in defining different types of autism and Aspergers, and in giving sidebars that clarified many points. I especially liked how it often cautioned that children might talk in a way that sounds like they have more speech than they do, as much of the speech might be echolalia. This happens often with my daughter, leading people to assume she can understand more than she can. I liked the case studies at the end, which followed the full procedure for evaluating and diagnosing two children. I do wish there had been more cases like this, including perhaps an older child or a child that didn't actually turn to out have autism.

I'm not sure if it would be worth it for a parent to buy this book, but it's worth them reading, if from the library. I do think a professional involved in evaluating autism would find it worth buying.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Timely Approach to the Assessment of Autism Spectrum Disorders June 29, 2012

By Diana De Avila TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

This is my first review of one of the books in the "Essentials of Psychological Assessment Series" and I was pleased with the presentation and format of material. Despite it's diminutive size, this "Essentials" book will provide a great tool for a Clinician's arsenal. The format provides highlighted chunks of information in gray boxes peppered throughout the text -- these boxes contain important information relevant to the chapter subject matter. Like any book of it's type, this provides a nice visual break.

"Essentials of Autism Spectrum Disorders Evaluation and Assessment" is a timely book released in anticipation of the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) which is scheduled for release in 2013. These changes will affect the way pervasive developmental disorders are viewed, assessed and diagnosed. As the title of this book suggests, PDD's are no longer seen in categorically specific subtypes but will be assessed as one thing: Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The book focuses on the broad spectrum of autism versus the subtypes embraced in the DSM-IV-TR Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR Fourth Edition (Text Revision). Although this appears to be a huge shift in thinking, the authors present a logical approach focusing more on Autistic Spectrum differentials and other neurodevelopmental disorders rather than distinguishing among the ASD subtypes. This approach anticipates the DSM-V changes and gives a provider a head-start on theory and practice before the DSM-V change hits the bookshelves.

This well organized reference contains chapter bibliographies, a logical table of contents and an index. There is information regarding upcoming changes with a look at the way PDD's were viewed when the DSM-IV-TR was published in 2000. This comparison is extremely helpful for the practitioner as they undertake the assessment process, instrument selection, measurements, clinical observations and report writing. The book ends each chapter with a "Test Yourself" section. This makes it a helpful book for the student.

The target audience for this book is definitely the Clinician or Student Clinician.

Great reference, logical and current.

5 stars