Differential Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder ASD in the Intellectually Able Adolescent & Adult

While most cases of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are identified in childhood, many individuals with high-functioning, Asperger’s type ASD can go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed until adulthood because of their intelligence and verbal ability. Identifying ASD in intellectually-able adolescents and adults presents a unique diagnostic challenge, partly due to common comorbidities. In this three-hour workshop, psychologist Kimberly B. Harrison, Ph.D., will provide training to help clinicians gain proficiency in differential diagnosis of high-functioning ASD in adolescents and adults. Diagnostic measures which provide optimal accuracy as part of a comprehensive battery will be identified and discussed, as well as comorbidities, assessment of developmental age and trajectory, and treatment plan coordination. The utilization of multiscale personality and psychopathology measures also will be discussed in depth, including the recent research regarding creation of an ASD discriminant function in the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI). Learning Objectives: 1. Clinicians will review the diagnostic criteria and categories of ASD, discuss the conceptualization of ASD as a developmental social disorder, and gain knowledge about specific diagnostic measures as part of the most effective comprehensive battery of tests evaluating intellectual, psychological, social, and adaptive functioning. 2. Clinicians will engage in an in-depth discussion of how to differentiate ASD symptom presentation from that of other similar and/or commonly comorbid disorders and how to assess for comorbidities. 3. Clinicians will learn about how to use personality and psychopathology instruments as part of a thorough battery to evaluate for adult ASD and how the common personality profiles of adults with ASD often share some overlap with profiles of individuals with other disorders. Results of Dr. Harrison’s recent publication will be discussed, including a new ASD discriminant function on the PAI. 4. Clinicians will learn once a diagnosis is made how to assess developmental age and create and communicate an effective treatment plan with the adult and the family.

Objectives

Objective #1 Based on the content of this program, participants will be able to review the diagnostic criteria and categories of ASD, discuss the conceptualization of ASD as a developmental social disorder, and gain knowledge about specific diagnostic measures as part of the most effective comprehensive battery of tests evaluating intellectual, psychological, social, and adaptive functioning.
Objective #2 Based on the content of this program, participants will engage in an in-depth discussion of how to differentiate ASD symptom presentation from that of other similar and/or commonly comorbid disorders and how to assess for comorbidities.
Objective #3 Based on the content of this program, participants will be able to learn about how to use personality and psychopathology instruments as part of a thorough battery to evaluate for adult ASD and how the common personality profiles of adults with ASD often share some overlap with profiles of individuals with other disorders. Results of Dr. Harrison’s recent publication will be discussed.