ADOS-2 Virtual Training

Six. That’s the average age of diagnosis for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the Commonwealth of Virginia. And that’s a shame. Because a reliable diagnosis can be made as early as age two. And when it comes to diagnosing ASD, the sooner, the better.

We’re thrilled to have Noha Minshawi-Patterson, Ph.D., HSPP leading this new, progressive approach to teaching clinical professionals to diagnose autism using the second edition of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2 (ADOS-2). We recognize that confidence and expertise come from practice and experience, so in addition to a three-day virtual workshop, this program includes a follow-up booster coaching session. Virtual sessions will be held on Zoom.

Training starts on Wednesday, October 20th t at 8:30 am.

Because referrals can cause lengthy delays, being able to make the diagnosis yourself saves precious time. So, we’ve designed this program for professionals on the front line— psychologists, licensed professional counselors, clinical social workers and speech pathologists— empowering you to intervene at the first suspicion of a developmental delay.

Upon completion of the three-day workshop, participants will be able to:

• Describe the essential features, and the advantages and disadvantages, of the ADOS-2 as a measure of social communication and behavior.

• Identify the variables that need to be considered in determining which module of the ADOS to use: mental age, chronological age, expressive language abilities

• Select the appropriate module to administer for a given child

• Describe the purpose of, and the focus of observation for, each of the tasks within each of the four modules

• Understand the administration the tasks within each of the four modules

• Discuss how to code the child’s language and communication, reciprocal social interaction, play, stereotyped behaviors and restricted interests, and other abnormal behaviors based on the child’s performance on tasks.

Because of the hands-on, interactive nature of this workshop, participation will be limited to 20 people.

You’ll learn to:

• Explain the importance of early diagnosis and intervention to your colleagues and clients.

• Use the ADOS-2 to diagnose autism spectrum disorders in clients as young as age two.

• Explain testing results to clients and caregivers and refer them to support services.

• Seek and provide support and guidance within a network of fellow practitioners.

This Training Program has multiple components to provide plenty of practice and reinforcement:

– Three-day Instructor-Led Virtual Workshop (October 20, 21, & 22 / 8:30a-4:30p EST)

– Small Group Booster Session (January 28 / 1:00p-4:00p EST)

At 3 months: Dr. Minshawi and participants will watch an ADOS administration video conducted by a participant or from training video archives. Dr. Minshawi will lead an interactive discussion on coding and provide participants with feedback on their scoring of the protocol. Format of these sessions will be individualized based on organization and participants’ needs and training goals.

NOTES:

• Registration will close on Friday, October 15th at 12:00PM EST.
• In order for training to take place, there must be at least 10 registrants.
• Participants will be provided with the 5-module protocols for the training and a certificate of attendance.
• Participants must have their own copy of the ADOS-2 manual and a working camera/microphone in order to participate in the training.
• There will be a break to allow time for lunch on your own.

About Our Instructor:

Noha Minshawi-Patterson, Ph.D., HSPP is a licensed clinical psychologist and a certified independent ADOS-2 trainer. She has been on the faculty of Indiana University School of Medicine since 2007. Her clinical practice is focused on Applied Behavior Analysis and behavioral interventions for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), as well as the assessment and diagnosis of ASD and other childhood disorders. Dr. Minshawi-Patterson provides parent training in individually-designed behavioral interventions, as well as training for students and professionals on the behavioral assessment, diagnosis and treatment of ASD.