Running Head: The Professionals Perspective on Diagnostic Validity
Autism: The Professional Perspective on Diagnostic Validity
Brandman University
Research Evaluation Methods
EDUU 600
February 24, 2018
Running Head: Autism: The Professionals Methods Used to Screen ASD 1
Introduction
Autism had touched everyone around the world in some way. Some people are affected
directly and others indirectly but there are a high probability that everyone knows someone with
autism. Although autism is becoming more and more common we have yet to understand what
the cause is and why it is affecting so many individuals throughout the world. Although we have
not pinpointed the cause we have determined how to identify autism as early as eighteen months
old. Screening and diagnostic assessments are tools that professionals use in order to determine if
a child has a diagnosis of autism. Schools have designed teams of professionals that screen and
diagnose children according to the state’s education code. District professionals are under a lot of
pressure and scrutiny when it comes to diagnosing children. This study will provide insight from
the professional’s perspective on the screening process and the diagnostic tools that are used by
Palm Springs Unified School District preschool assessment team.
Problem Statement
School districts in my community are overwhelmed with the amount of preschoolers that
come to be screened. The screening process is conducted to determine if the student has a
learning disability such as autism. The purpose of this study is to hear the professional’s
perspective on the validity of the screening and diagnostic tools used during an assessment. Each
professional that is a part of the assessment team will be emailed and asked to complete a
questionnaire that consists of ten open ended questions. This survey will be completed a week
before a child is scheduled to come in for a full diagnostic assessment. After the full diagnostic
assessment is complete an interview will be conducted with each member of the assessment
team. The questions will ask the professionals to reflect on the results according to the diagnostic
Running Head: Autism: The Professionals Methods Used to Screen ASD 2
assessment, as well as compare their professional opinions to the findings. Finally the
participants will be called in for a group interview. The questions will be the same as in the
individual interviews. The interviewer will take notes describing the response of the participant.
This will allow the researcher to determine the authenticity of the participant’s answers.
Research Question
How do current district assessment team individuals feel about the reliability of the
assessment tools they use in their practice in identifying children with autism?
This study will give parents and understanding of the signs and symptoms of autism, a
look at the methods that are used during assessments and screening process, and the
professional’s opinion on the validity of the screening process. Screening children for autism at a
