What to Expect During an Autism Evaluation at Shapiro Psychology

One of the most common things I hear from families before their first appointment is some version of: "I don't really know what we're getting into." That uncertainty is completely normal. Psychological evaluations aren't something most people encounter more than once or twice in a lifetime, and the process can feel mysterious from the outside.

This post walks you through exactly what happens during an autism evaluation at Shapiro Psychology — step by step — so you can arrive feeling prepared rather than anxious.

Step 1: The free consultation

Before anything else happens, we have a 15-minute phone call. This is not a formal appointment — it's a conversation. I want to hear what's prompting the evaluation, answer your initial questions, and make sure an evaluation at my practice is the right fit for your family. There's no pressure and no commitment required.

If we decide to move forward, I'll collect some basic intake information and we'll schedule your first appointment.

Step 2: The parent interview

For children's evaluations, the process begins with a detailed interview with parents or caregivers — typically 1 to 1.5 hours. Your child is not present for this session. We cover:

• Your child's developmental history from birth through the present
• Your specific concerns and what you observe at home
• School performance, friendships, and social functioning
• Any prior evaluations, diagnoses, or therapies
• Medical history, family history, and anything else that might be relevant

For adult evaluations, I conduct an extended clinical interview directly with you, often also gathering input from a parent, sibling, or partner who knew you in childhood.

This interview is one of the most important parts of the evaluation. The history you share gives me the context I need to interpret testing results correctly.

Step 3: Testing with your child

Testing sessions are typically conducted in one or two appointments, each lasting 2 to 3 hours. I complete all testing myself — no technicians or assistants. Your child will complete a variety of tasks and activities, which might include:

• Structured play and interaction with me (the ADOS-2-2, when appropriate)
• Cognitive ability tasks (puzzles, pattern recognition, verbal reasoning)
• Language and communication assessments
• Executive function and attention tasks
• Supplementary measures for areas like social cognition, sensory processing, or emotion regulation

I tailor the battery to your child specifically — I don't use a one-size-fits-all protocol. If standard tools aren't sensitive enough to capture your child's presentation (particularly for highly verbal children, strong maskers, or those who present atypically), I supplement with measures specifically designed to identify what those tools miss.

Step 4: Rating scales and collateral information

Alongside direct testing, I gather information from multiple sources. This typically includes:

• Parent rating forms about your child's behavior, development, and daily functioning
• Teacher rating forms (with your permission)
• Review of prior evaluations, IEPs, medical records, or report cards you choose to share

Understanding how your child functions across different settings is essential. Children — especially those who mask — can look very different at school versus at home, and I need information from both contexts.

Step 5: Scoring, interpretation, and report writing

After all testing and interviews are complete, I spend considerable time scoring assessments, integrating information from all sources, and writing the report. This is the stage that takes the most calendar time — typically 2 to 4 weeks from the final testing session to the completed report.

I write every report myself. My reports are comprehensive — usually 20 to 30 pages — and include a clear clinical summary, diagnostic conclusions, and specific recommendations tailored to your child's profile. I write them so that parents, teachers, and other providers can actually understand and use them.

Step 6: The feedback session

Once the report is complete, we meet for a feedback session — typically 60 to 90 minutes. I walk you through the findings, explain what the testing revealed, answer your questions, and help you understand what the results mean for your child's day-to-day life. We discuss next steps, recommendations, and how to use the report when talking to schools and other providers.

You leave this session with the written report in hand and with a clear picture of what comes next.

After the evaluation

My relationship with families doesn't end when the report is delivered. I'm available for follow-up questions after the feedback session. I can also attend school meetings (PPT meetings) to present findings and advocate for appropriate services, review IEPs, and consult with teachers or therapists.

If you have questions about the evaluation process or want to talk through what you're observing, please reach out. That's what the free consultation is for.