Overview of Services

Our mission is to provide state-of-the-art assessments and evidence-based psychological interventions for children, adolescents and young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other neurodevelopmental disorders.
Psychological Services are central to understanding the underlying thoughts and emotions that contribute to individual behaviors. These services are divided into assessments and interventions, which take into account the child’s age, background, and abilities.

Concerns Addressed

Our psychological team has extensive experience evaluating and treating disorders in all areas of psychological development, particularly those associated with ASD and neurodevelopmental disorders.  Some of the most common areas addressed within our program include:

  • Depression
  • Anxiety (including OCD and Phobias)
  • Tics and Tourette Syndrome
  • Disruptive behaviors (e.g., oppositional-defiant behaviors, ADHD)
  • Emotional difficulties (irritabilities, tantrums)
  • Substance Abuse

Programs and Services Offered

Application of age-appropriate assessment procedures is critical for understanding the nature of the behavior. Assessment procedures include:

  • In-depth clinical 
  • Semi-structured interviews 
  • Observations (e.g., Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule) 
  • Psychological tests (e.g., IQ, adaptive, and achievement tests) 
  • Provide diagnosis and a strengths and weaknesses profile
 

Appropriate assessments take into account the perspective of the child, parents and the social and academic environment (e.g., teacher- or school-reports). Psychological assessments are important for treatment planning and progress monitoring during psychological interventions.

Psychological interventions at the Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders include evidence-based interventions such as cognitive, behavioral, and family therapy. During the intervention, the psychologist works in close collaboration with the parents to provide a continuum of care that extends into the home environment.

Psychological interventions are highly tailored to the needs of the child and the family to maximize success in the treatment of psychological problems.  The Center provides these psychological interventions to children and adolescents with ASD and comorbid disorders:

  • Behavior therapy
  • Anger management training
  • Stress management and relaxation training
  • Comprehensive behavior interventions
  • Family interventions
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)