Interdisciplinary and Comprehensive Evaluations to Increase Service Access for Children Impacted by Autism Spectrum Disorder
Category
Business, Education and Humanities
Department
Psychology (Behavior Emphasis)
Student Status
Graduate
Research Advisor
Dr. Paige Boydston
Document Type
Event
Location
Student Center Ballroom
Start Date
10-4-2025 2:00 PM
End Date
10-4-2025 4:00 PM
Description
Identification and treatment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in rural communities continues to lag when compared to opportunities in urban areas (e.g., Antezana et al., 2020), with the average age of diagnosis being delayed in both rural communities and in households with limited income (Mandell et al., 2010). Though many factors may contribute to the deficiency of available services, lack of qualified diagnosticians in rural locations presents as a major barrier to families accessing evaluations. Early intervention services have been found to significantly improve symptomology of ASD in children diagnosed prior to three years of age (e.g., Gabbay-Dizdar et al., 2021), yet a diagnosis is required prior to accessing care. Rural areas may benefit from interdisciplinary ASD evaluation and diagnostic mechanisms that increase access to care. The purpose to the present project is to pilot an interdisciplinary evaluation model using faculty and students at a university located in a rural area of the country. The evaluation model includes multiple disciplines engaging in a multi-department collaboration for both collegiate student training and community support, creating a comprehensive evaluation process to support children suspected of having ASD but who are unable to access timely diagnostics and treatment due to geographic location. The study aims to identify socially valid training and evaluation measures by comparing self-report data from participants to self-report data from individuals obtaining the same service in a less intensive or comprehensive model. Initial data indicate preference for interdisciplinary training settings.
Interdisciplinary and Comprehensive Evaluations to Increase Service Access for Children Impacted by Autism Spectrum Disorder
Student Center Ballroom
Identification and treatment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in rural communities continues to lag when compared to opportunities in urban areas (e.g., Antezana et al., 2020), with the average age of diagnosis being delayed in both rural communities and in households with limited income (Mandell et al., 2010). Though many factors may contribute to the deficiency of available services, lack of qualified diagnosticians in rural locations presents as a major barrier to families accessing evaluations. Early intervention services have been found to significantly improve symptomology of ASD in children diagnosed prior to three years of age (e.g., Gabbay-Dizdar et al., 2021), yet a diagnosis is required prior to accessing care. Rural areas may benefit from interdisciplinary ASD evaluation and diagnostic mechanisms that increase access to care. The purpose to the present project is to pilot an interdisciplinary evaluation model using faculty and students at a university located in a rural area of the country. The evaluation model includes multiple disciplines engaging in a multi-department collaboration for both collegiate student training and community support, creating a comprehensive evaluation process to support children suspected of having ASD but who are unable to access timely diagnostics and treatment due to geographic location. The study aims to identify socially valid training and evaluation measures by comparing self-report data from participants to self-report data from individuals obtaining the same service in a less intensive or comprehensive model. Initial data indicate preference for interdisciplinary training settings.
