If you suspect you or your child may have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), the first step is proper diagnosis.

We offer a comprehensive Autism Spectrum Disorder evaluation, virtual and in-office in Brunswick, GA. We use a combination of cognitive, intellectual, socioemotional and autism tests to determine an ASD diagnosis incorporating Dr Engen’s own approach - The Eupatheian Method.

What is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)?

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is is a neurological and developmental disorder that impacts social communication, attention and emotional responsive and behavior. Neurodivergent is typically a term used to describe those with ASD as they can behave differently, move and talk differently, and have a different way of perceiving the world and their environment.

Awareness of ASD

In recent years, ASD has become more understood and evaluation has improved and more services are available to support and help to ameliorate performance and development such as ABA therapy and occupation therapy. Education also recognizes the diagnosis and advances have been made in offering educational accommodations within individualized and educational plans. For this reason, many are seeking proper diagnosis and a formal evaluation to support them in their work/school and personal lives.

Typical traits of ASD

Social communication deficits may include:

Decreased sharing of interests with others
Difficulty appreciating their own & others' emotions
Aversion to maintaining eye contact
Lack of proficiency with use of non-verbal gestures
Stilted or scripted speech
Interpreting abstract ideas literally
Difficulty making friends or keeping them

Restricted interests and repetitive behaviors may include:

Inflexibility of behavior, extreme difficulty coping with change
Being overly focused on niche subjects to the exclusion of others
Expecting others to be equally interested in those subjects
Difficulty tolerating changes in routine and new experiences
Sensory hypersensitivity, e.g., aversion to loud noises
Stereotypical movements such as hand flapping, rocking, spinning
Arranging things, often toys, in a very particular manner

Standardized & Specialized testing

**A comprehensive evaluation includes a combination of standardized and specialized tests.**

ASD Tests

There are standardized tests we use to determine an Autism diagnosis, as well as specialized tests to confirm the nuances of a diagnosis. A comprehensive evaluation includes a combination of the following from each section:

Clinician-assessed and symptom ratings:
- Childhood Autism Rating Scale - CARS
- Gilliam Autism Rating Scale | Third Edition (GARS-3)
Diagnostic tests:
- Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised - ADI-R
- Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Second Edition - ADOS-2
- Monteiro Interview Guidelines for Diagnosing the Autism Spectrum, Second Edition - MIGDAS-2
Intelligence testing:
- Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test Second Edition - KBIT-2
- Reynolds Adaptable Intelligence Test - RIAT
Behavioral screening assessments:
- Autism Spectrum Rating Scale - ASRS
- Gilliam Asperger's Disorder Scale - GADS
- Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Third Edition - Vineland-3
- Behavior Assessment System for Children - Third Edition - BASC-3
Developmental ratings:
- Developmental Profile - DP-4
Personality Inventory (specialized - not standard):
- Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory - Adolescent/Adult - MMPI
- The Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-IV - MCMI-IV
- Millon Adolescent Clinical Inventory-II - MACI-II
- Millon Pre-Adolescent Clinical Inventory - M-PACI
- Conners Rating Scale of Behavior (CBRS) Self or/and Parent
Cognitive (specialized - not standard):
- Cambridge Brain Systems (CREYOS) cognitive screener
- Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART)
- Conners’ Continuous Performance Test, second edition (CPT-II)

The Process

Clients are seen for several appointments - both virtual and in-office - in order to complete the full testing.

Dr Engen requires direct observation and executive and intellectual functioning tests be completed in the office. There are tests also to be completed with the parent(s) (if child) to understand developmental history, behaviors, and to measure previous emotional functioning which can be offered virtually. We also provide online tests to teachers so as to record behaviors at school. Some tests require in-office visits, although many can also be done virtually. For adults, testing is all administered with the adult both in-office or virtually. Depending on the ASD traits, in some cases the complete assessment can be done virtually, but typically for children we require an office visit. All virtual testing is carried out using HIPAA compliant video conferencing software.

Dual Diagnoses

If more specialized testing is required, Dr Engen may include additional tests to rule out other diagnoses such as ADHD, Anxiety, or Depression, or Learning Disorders. (Pricing may vary).

Who we are

We are a second-generation private clinical psychology practice in South East Georgia offering evaluation, consultation and therapy. From South Dakota, Brendan C. Engen, PsyD (Clinical Psychologist) obtained his Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from C.I.I.S. in San Francisco following three years doctorate study in Philosophy and Theology at UMass, and undergraduate and masters at Ole Miss. Serving clients from The Eupatheia Center in Brunswick, Dr. Engen works with all ages and has extensive experience working for now over 20 years with patients with Autism.

Payment

Dr Engen does not take insurance for ASD evaluations, only self-pay. We take half of the fee in advance and half upon presentation of results and the report. The fee for the ASD evaluation is $2100 ($1750 for age 7 and under). This includes follow up appointment with results and a complete report detailing results and treatment suggestions using the Eupatheian Method.