Educational Psychologists’ Assessments of Autism
- 19 October 1999
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Taylor & Francis in Educational Psychology in Practice
- Vol. 15 (3) , 167-173
- https://doi.org/10.1080/0266736990150303
Abstract
This article reports a study of how educational psychologists currently assess the needs of children for whom autism is a consideration. The study uses questionnaire data from 21 principal educational psychologists, followed up by semi‐structured interviews with 12 psychologists from three educational psychology services. The results indicate variability in identification and assessment processes with a trend towards reliance upon interview and observation methods. The relevance of effective multi‐agency working to educational psychology assessment for autism is also highlighted. Implications for educational psychologists’ assessment practices are discussed in the light of perceptions about increasing rates of identification and calls for specialist preschool provision (eg LOVAAS). Priorities for future development in this area are identified.Keywords
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