Early identification to help guide next steps and support options.
Autism screening at LC Psych is an initial structured assessment designed to determine whether autism-related indicators are present at a level that warrants a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation. It is important to understand clearly what a screening is and what it is not: a screening is not a full diagnostic evaluation, and a positive screening result is not a diagnosis of autism. Rather, a screening provides a clinically informed first look — a way to determine whether the more extensive investment of a comprehensive evaluation is indicated and likely to be productive.
Autism screening serves an important function in the overall care pathway. For individuals or families who are uncertain whether their concerns rise to the level of a full evaluation, a screening provides a professional assessment and a clear recommendation. For those whose screening results are clearly negative, this can be genuinely reassuring — and can prompt consideration of alternative explanations for the presenting concerns. For those whose screening results suggest autism-related features, the recommendation for a comprehensive evaluation provides a clear, confident next step.
The autism-related indicators assessed during a screening vary by age and developmental stage, but fall into several broad domains. In young children, indicators include limited or inconsistent eye contact, reduced joint attention (the ability and motivation to share interest in objects or events with others), delayed or atypical language development, limited interest in peers, strong preference for sameness and routine, repetitive movements or play behaviors, and unusual sensory responses to sound, texture, light, or movement. The M-CHAT (Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers) is a validated screening tool used for very young children.
In older children, adolescents, and adults, autism indicators often look quite different — and are more likely to have been partially masked by learned social strategies. Indicators in this population include social exhaustion and the feeling that social interaction requires significant conscious effort, persistent difficulty understanding unwritten social rules, intense and focused special interests, preference for routine and significant difficulty with unexpected changes, sensory sensitivities, and a pervasive sense of being different from others in ways that are hard to articulate. Validated instruments including the SRS-2 (Social Responsiveness Scale) and the AQ (Autism Quotient) are used for this population.
The autism screening at LC Psych is completed in a single appointment. The appointment includes a structured clinical interview covering the concerns that prompted the screening, relevant developmental and personal history, current functioning across social, academic or occupational, and daily living domains, and any prior evaluations, diagnoses, or interventions. Standardized screening instruments appropriate to the client's age are completed and scored. The evaluating clinician also makes clinical observations during the interview that inform the overall clinical impression.
The entire screening process is conducted with sensitivity and care — particularly for adults who may be coming to this appointment with years of wondering about themselves, and for parents who are navigating the emotional complexity of concerns about their child. Your clinician at LC Psych will create a warm, non-judgmental environment in which honest information can be shared freely, and will approach the screening with the clinical rigor and human compassion that every client deserves.
Results of the autism screening are reviewed with the client or parent in a dedicated feedback conversation that takes place following scoring and clinical review. The clinician will explain what the screening found, what it means, and — most importantly — what is recommended as a next step. Results fall into one of three broad categories: the screening does not suggest autism-related features at a level warranting further evaluation; the screening identifies moderate concerns that warrant a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation; or the screening identifies clear and significant autism-related indicators that strongly warrant a comprehensive evaluation.
When a comprehensive evaluation is recommended, LC Psych can typically provide that evaluation using the gold-standard methods described in the autism evaluation service pages. Having already established a relationship with a clinician through the screening process, clients and families often find the transition to a comprehensive evaluation straightforward and comfortable. Whatever the outcome of the screening, you will leave with clear, professional guidance and a confident sense of what comes next.
If you are wondering whether autism may be relevant to your experience or your child's, a screening is an excellent starting point — professional, relatively brief, and genuinely informative. To schedule an autism screening at LC Psych, call 859-525-4911 or visit lcpsych.com. Taking this first step is a sign of care and curiosity — both of which are entirely the right impulses to follow.
Each clinician below offers Autism Screening. Explore their profiles to learn more about their approach and availability.
Clinical Psychologist
Clinical Psychologist
6900 Houston Rd.
Building 500 Suite 11
Florence, KY 41042
Office hours
Mon – Thurs: 8AM – 9PM
Friday: 8AM – 5PM
Saturday: 8AM – 2PM
Our therapists are accepting new clients. Schedule your first appointment today — in-person or via telehealth, evenings and weekends available.
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