Hart Centre's Psychologist Kathrine "Kat" specialises in ASD and ADHD assessments and has kindly shared some of her information with us.
Please see her email below:
ASD ASSESSMENT
I have been doing ASD assessment for a number of years. It has been a special interest of mine for some time, being diagnosed myself and have attended Tony's Masterclass and the one in Sydney recently. I also have a very large library of books.
Psychologists can only do the assessment, and Psychiatrists do the final 'diagnosis'. The assessment includes a self test, and also an interview process with collateral evidence ( interview with parent and partner). I then write a report if they wish to pay for one. If they want to see a psychiatrist I refer them back to their GP to ask for a referral for a psychiatrist I work with in Perth and send him my report.
Through relationship work, I have found so many adults with ASD as it does cause quite specific classic problems. I have had great success with them, as people with ASD are usually very willing to learn new behaviours and because of their intense committment to things they are interested in, do very well.
You might note too that often they have a co-morbid presentation so I also check for ADHD (more on that later).
The partners can also often take their behaviour less personally, and as a result are usually helpful in the process. I also point out the very good qualities like loyalty, which then becomes the focus. They are usually quirky or eccentric in some way, and that is what the partner was/is attracted to, so there is usually more willingness to work on their relationship than a NT couple althought they have more challenges.
I have attached an information sheet I send out to enquiries about ASD assessment. Please feel free to use all or part thereof.
I use a combination of tests eg.
- Aspie Quiz (RDS http://rdos.net/eng/Aspie-quiz.php ) client can do on line and produces a nice graph of their strengths
- and one Tony sent me by Cynthia Kim (in a book below) which they use as a self test along with family and friends. I ask each person to note with a different colours so I know who said what, but I also use as a basis of interviews. I feel it is much more thorough than the AQ50. I will attach the Cynthia Kim one as well.
Cynthia Kim (2013): “I Think I Might be Autistic: A Guide to Autism Spectrum Disorder and Self-Discovery for Adults”; published by Narrow Gauge, USA. Added notes from DSM5 (American Psychiatric Assn 2013)
Another resourse is from Autism Speaks attached: Aspie Adult Toolkit (attached)
MEDICARE AND ASD
I have sent you the link below as it makes clear that Medicare does cover Autism in terms of anxiety and depression etc. Scroll down to
Better Access to Mental Health Care Scheme
Usual item number 80110.
It looks like clients can also ask their GP for another 5 sessions under Chronic Disease Management.
Psychologists - item 10968
It appears there is no rebate for adult diagnosis though, only for children except APS recommended only neuro and ed & dev psychs. But if included in therapy it should be OK. Hopefully the government will accept the proposal of 20 sessions in the White paper.
https://www.autismawareness.com.au/financial-support/medicare/
In order for Medicare to apply, I do combined assessment and therapy to fulfill the criteria, and ask that the GP refer for anxiety which is usually their main issue. It works out very well, taking one DSMV criteria at a time, and I ask each couple what their particular problems are in each of them and address as we go along giving them homework to try and give feedback on.
ADHD IN COUPLES
ANOTHER AREA IN NEED IS ADHD in couples. There are so MANY couples wih this problem. Usually men, and the women end up feeling like Mother's so usually present with no or low sexual desire. The men can appear to be narcissistic, so I usually check on intention to define the difference. Let me know if you want to know more about it and would like to promote this. Some signs are:
- forget to do what they said they would do
- forget agreements
- feel overhwelmed by too many tasks
- defensive
- partner feels like a mother having to remember everything and organise them
- inequality in relationship
- doesn't give information before making independent decisions
- doesn't give information full stop!
- partners feel unloved, unappreciated and definitely not turned on
- ADHD partner usually complains of not enough sex and blames partner
I use DIVA5 for assessment and interview and the same procedure as ASD referring to pychiatrist who does the official 'diagnosis' (after I've done all the work). If combined ASD/ADD a small dose of stimulant can make a HUGE differece along with therapy. If ADHD larger doses are required but dependence and overdose needs to be at the forfront of monitoring. These tend to be more difficult clients to work with as they simply 'forget' what was agreed to in homework, so prompting as with ASD is important for partners to do. Anyway, just an idea I'd put forward to you.
Criteria Questions Aid for adult assessment
CLIENT Version - FINAL - Dx Criteria Questions Aid
Effects of differing neuro/developmental leves of neurotypical/autism spectrum
Thanks
Kat
Kathrine (Katrina) Selmer Johansen
Psychologist
BA(SocSci);Bpsych(Hons);MAPS
