Diagnostic assessments often look at characteristics as a deficit. This has led to many criticisms of the deficit model, including power dynamics, negativity bias, and an incomplete picture that misses an autistic child’s strengths (Long, 2023). Instead, a neurodiversity affirming evaluation takes a look at the entire person. This includes identifying potential areas where they need assistance, along with the strengths of each individual.
What Does a Neurodiversity Affirming Evaluation Look Like?
Choosing an adaptive behavior assessment system such as ABAS-3 is a good way to find out where a child stands on a number of different skills, including:
- Conceptual skills
- Social skills
- Practical skills
The general idea is to use their strengths as a way to boost their self-esteem, while also seeking to help make them more independent. In fact, identifying and supporting their strengths is one of the key components of neurodiversity affirming care.
With this in mind, ABAS-3 may include questions like:
- What topics, activities, and environments bring a sense of independence, achievement, or joy?
- What specific adaptations might add to someone’s communication abilities?
- What strengths enable someone to learn, cope, and thrive?
- What strengths in the community, culture, and family can support and empower the individual?
- What have educators noticed about how someone interacts with other students or learns?
What is the Difference between an Autism Assessment and ABAS-3?
An autism assessment is a broad diagnostic process to determine whether someone is autistic or not. As such, it should be the first step toward assisting the individual’s needs. The ABAS-3, meanwhile, is a specific tool to measure daily living skills. To put this another way, an autism assessment provides a diagnosis, while ABAS-3 acts as a practical skills report card. Both are necessary for a child’s future success.
Common Autistic Strengths
Many autistic kids have strengths that other people may admire. By choosing them as a springboard, the individual will have more confidence. Some of the most common autistic strengths may include:
- Hyperfocus
- Attention to detail
- Memory
- Creativity
- Logical and analytical thinking
- Pattern recognition
- Loyalty
- Honesty
- Integrity
- Strong sense of justice
Let’s say, for example, that the autistic child has excellent long-term memory, but their short-term or working memory isn’t at the same proficiency (Cleveland Clinic, 2025). Rather than letting them dwell on their short-term memory problems, it’s better to point out how many details they can remember about an event that took place several months or years ago.
For autistic children, their short-term memory issues may merely be a result of their processing speed (Michaelson et al, 2021). Short-term memory is typically defined as 15-30 seconds, which makes it much easier to understand why autistic children may need additional time to answer questions, take a test, etc. Empower them with the knowledge that processing information more slowly does not in any way equate to their intelligence. Ideas such as this one are the basis of a neurodiversity affirming assessment and can assist them in having a better, more fulfilling life.