| School psychologists are often the first to assess children suspected of having psychological disorders. Early and accurate assessment by these professionals is vital because diagnostic differentiation is commonly required for appropriate educational placement. Much existing research has focused on the diagnosis of autism; however a gap exists in the literature concerning how school psychologists differentiate between autism and Asperger's disorder subtypes of pervasive developmental disorders. Grounded in decision theory, the purpose of the current study investigated how decisions are made when school psychologists differentiate between autism and Asperger's disorders. The exploratory correlational design employed a mailed survey of 166 practicing school psychologists in a southern state to examine the sources and patterns of informational sources (IS) used to determine diagnostic differentiation of the two disorders. Kruskal Wallis and Mann Whitney analyses were used to test for differences in IS rankings across diagnoses; and chi-square tests and Spearman correlations were used to investigate potential relationships between the IS and the influence of training and experience on IS ranking. Results revealed a more consistent IS use and prioritization in the diagnosis of autism when compared to the diagnosis of Asperger's. Also, slight but statistically significant associations were observed linking training, but not experience, with IS ranking. The results of the study will enhance social change initiatives by calling attention to the ambiguity in current practices to diagnose these disorders and may inform initiatives addressing the need for more standardized assessment practices with autism spectrum disorders to guide more accurate clinical diagnoses leading to more effective educational interventions and placement. |
