Publication Date

2025

Advisor(s) - Committee Chair

Sarah Bonis, Carl Myers, Susan Parsons

Degree Program

Department of Psychology

Degree Type

Specialist in Education

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a multifaceted condition that affects individuals in unique ways. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC, 2020), people with ASD have a neurological disorder that impacts communication, social interaction, and behavior. One common ASD evaluation tool is the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule 2 (ADOS-2), which helps a clinician decide if the student exhibits social and communication skills expected of someone with or without ASD. Since ASD is a disorder for which symptoms need to be present within the early developmental period, it is common for schools and pediatricians to be initial sources of referral or identification for suspected ASD. Therefore, the ADOS-2 is important to the school psychology field because it is considered a high-quality assessment administered to help identify a child with autism. However, when evaluating the use of any measure, it is important to understand whether it functions similarly across different groups. A systematic review of the literature focused on two key aspects of ADOS-2 scores. It examines gender and cultural differences in ADOS-2 modules and scores to see if there is an impact on autism diagnosis and symptom presentation. Results revealed that ADOS-2 scores demonstrate inconsistent validity across gender but were typically valid across cultures.

Disciplines

Education | Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | Psychology | School Psychology | Social and Behavioral Sciences | Special Education and Teaching

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