Overemphasis of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) Evaluation Subverts a Clinician's Ability to Provide Access to Autism Services

McLeod F Gwynette; Kelly McGuire; Matthew C Fadus; Joshua D Feder; Kathleen A Koth; Bryan H King

doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2019.07.933

Overemphasis of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) Evaluation Subverts a Clinician's Ability to Provide Access to Autism Services

J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2019 Dec;58(12):1222-1223. doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2019.07.933. Epub 2019 Jul 26.

Authors

McLeod F Gwynette¹, Kelly McGuire², Matthew C Fadus³, Joshua D Feder⁴, Kathleen A Koth⁵, Bryan H King⁶

Affiliations

¹ Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston.
² Columbia University Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York, NY.
³ Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston. Electronic address: fadus@musc.edu.
⁴ Fielding Graduate University, Santa Barbara, California.
⁵ Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.
⁶ UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, San Francisco, CA.

PMID: 31356862
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2019.07.933

Abstract

A concerning trend has emerged in the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that has a negative impact on care. Quite often, a clinician's diagnosis of ASD using DSM-5 criteria is no longer sufficient for individuals with ASD to access services. Insurance companies, school districts, and developmental disability agencies commonly require an Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) to be eligible for services.

Publication types

Letter

MeSH terms

Adult
Autism Spectrum Disorder / classification
Autism Spectrum Disorder / diagnosis*
Autism Spectrum Disorder / psychology
Autism Spectrum Disorder / therapy*
Child
Diagnosis, Differential
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
Humans
Psychometrics / instrumentation