School-Based Autism Evaluations in the COVID-19 Era

School psychologists play a critical role in school-based Autism (AU) evaluations. Evidence-based AU evaluations should be multimodal, include multiple informants, and assess functioning across several domains. In the current era of COVID-19, school-based AU evaluations have become increasingly comp...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:School psychology 2021-09, Vol.36 (5), p.377-387
Main Authors: Brunson McClain, Maryellen, Roanhorse, Tyus T., Harris, Bryn, Heyborne, Megan, Zemantic, Patricia K., Azad, Gazi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agency Cooperation
Autism
Autism Spectrum Disorders
Barriers
Best practice
Best Practices
COVID-19
Diagnostic Tests
Disability Evaluation
Educational evaluation
Educational Legislation
Educational psychology
Evaluation Methods
Family Involvement
Federal Legislation
Human
Observation
Pandemics
Pervasive Developmental Disorders
Rating Scales
Role
School Adjustment
School Closing
School Psychologists
Schools
Screening Tests
Special Education
Student Behavior
Student Evaluation
Students with Disabilities
Telecommunications
Treatment Guidelines
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Summary:School psychologists play a critical role in school-based Autism (AU) evaluations. Evidence-based AU evaluations should be multimodal, include multiple informants, and assess functioning across several domains. In the current era of COVID-19, school-based AU evaluations have become increasingly complex with school psychologists having to significantly adapt face-to-face evaluation procedures and/or conduct evaluations via teleassessment approaches. This poses profound challenges for some families, many of whom are from vulnerable groups. In the current article, we outline school psychologists' traditional role in school-based AU evaluations and review best practice guidelines. We then discuss the impact of COVID-19 on these processes and provide a framework for school psychologists to use when conducting school-based AU evaluations during this unprecedented time. We also provide resources school psychologists may find useful as they conduct school-based AU evaluations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Impact and Implications The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly altered how school psychologists conduct school-based Autism (AU) evaluations. The current article discusses the specific impact of the pandemic on the school-based AU evaluation process and provides practical guidance for school psychologists to engage in high-quality AU assessment under the current conditions.
ISSN:2578-4218
2578-4226
DOI:10.1037/spq0000447