Our Location

810 W. 45th Street Austin, TX 78751



Hours of Operation
Monday to Thursday — 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Friday — 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday — Closed.

ADOS-2 Assessment Offered at ACGC

Starting this spring, ACGC is once again offering the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule - Second Edition (ADOS-2). The ADOS-2 is a diagnostic tool designed to be part of the assessment for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). During the assessment, the clinician interacts with the client for 45-60 minutes to evaluate their social interaction, play, communication skills, and restricted or repetitive behavior.  This is not a traditional pen-and-paper test. As with any psychological testing, we recommend that caregivers discuss with their children beforehand what to expect from the test to lessen any anxiety their child might feel. Our psychological services staff will help caregivers prepare prior to any assessment in order to create a positive atmosphere and help decrease stress and anxiety for families.  

Administration of the ADOS-2 can be an important step toward assisting your child. Results from the evaluation can be used to support the need for additional intervention services at home, or at school such as an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Additionally, psychological services staff may make recommendations for other services including occupational, physical, and speech therapy, as well as Applied Behavioral Analysis therapy (ABA); ACGC can also refer clients to providers that offer these specialized services.  

The ADOS-2 is NOT the sole diagnostic tool for ASD. While the ADOS-2 is considered the “gold-standard” for the diagnosis of ASD, the developers stress that the results are to be considered a data point within the larger assessment.  Many disorders have overlapping symptoms and it can be difficult to identify the symptoms of one disorder versus another. Therefore, when making a diagnosis, it is important to consider information from a wide variety of collateral sources including caregivers, teachers, and other informants who have contact with the child. The diagnosis of ASD takes into consideration all the data collected during the assessment process including the parent interview, teacher forms, and other assessment measures such as an IQ test. The ADOS-2 is available at ACGC for children ages 1 – 18 years old and ACGC’s sliding fee scale is applicable.  

If there are questions as to whether your child requires an ADOS-2 assessment, please contact our office at info@austinchildguidance.org. To learn more about Psychological Assessments at ACGC, please click here