About this course
Psychological assessment is often experienced by neurodivergent individuals as one of the most invalidating encounters in mental health care. Traditional assessment models, while grounded in psychometrics and diagnostic criteria, frequently rely on deficit-based assumptions, biased norms, and interpretations that overlook context, identity, and environmental fit.
This course examines how clinicians can conduct ethical, accurate, and clinically responsible assessments through a neurodiversity-affirming lens—without abandoning diagnostic integrity, evidence-based practice, or professional standards. Participants will explore how bias enters assessment at multiple points, including test selection, administration, interpretation, and report writing, particularly for autistic and otherwise neurodivergent clients across the lifespan.
Through clinical discussion and case examples, this course provides concrete guidance for differentiating impairment from difference, integrating qualitative and contextual data, navigating diagnostic thresholds, and writing reports that are both affirming and defensible within medical, educational, and disability systems. Emphasis is placed on balancing diagnostic utility with ethical responsibility, minimizing harm while preserving access to services and supports.
This course is appropriate for psychologists, mental health clinicians, and trainees involved in assessment, diagnosis, or interpretation of testing data.
