Are you wondering if you might be Autistic?
Adult Autism Screening is available to individuals who are at least 18 years of age and who reside in any of the following Canadian provinces/territories: British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, Yukon, Northwest Territories, or Nunavut.
The screening is a one-time service (rather than ongoing counselling) and does not have a waiting list to get started. Results are provided within a week of completion of the screening questionnaires!
Adult Autism Screening may be right for you if you are:
- self-diagnosed Autistic and want professional validation but don’t need an “official” diagnosis
- wondering if you might be Autistic (neuro-questioning)
- wondering whether it is worthwhile to undergo an Autism assessment
- planning on undergoing an Autism assessment and would like help with preparation
- are not looking for an “official” diagnosis
**THIS SCREENING IS NOT AN OFFICIAL AUTISM DIAGNOSIS**
frequently asked questions
You’ll first want to click the button above that says “CLICK HERE TO GET STARTED.” This will take you to my Jane booking site where you can choose one of the options in the Adult Autism Screening section. Once you have chosen an option, Jane will show appointments from 9-10 pm each night – these are fake appointments that trigger Jane to send the intake form, so just book whatever time slot is open (you will not actually attend this appointment time). After you book your option, watch for an email from Jane confirming the appointment – this email will also have a link to the intake form. Once you submit the intake form, you’ll be provided with instructions for the next steps of the screening. Please submit your intake form within 7 days.
This depends on which option you choose. The Detailed options take longer because you have more questionnaires to complete. At minimum, you should expect to spend an hour on the DSM-5-TR Questionnaire, and an hour on the other questionnaires (if you are a slow questionnaire-taker, it could take you longer than this). I also provide instructions with tips to help you complete the questionnaires faster. Once you submit all your questionnaires, your results will be provided to you within 7 days.
No, you will not get a yes/no answer on whether you are Autistic from this screening (a “yes” would be a diagnosis which in BC can only be given by a medical professional or registered psychologist). The purpose of a screening is to identify if you have clinically-significant Autistic traits that could meet the criteria for an Autism diagnosis, but you will not be told that you are Autistic.
If your extended medical insurance covers Registered Clinical Counsellors, you can claim the cost of the screening for reimbursement. Please check with your extended medical insurance provider to ensure you will be covered before you start the screening.
We believe that access to professional validation of your Autistic traits is a social justice issue and will endeavour to remove barriers that might prevent you from accessing this screening. If finances prevent you from accessing our screening, please get in touch by email BEFORE you book your chosen option for reduced fee/alternate payment schedule options. We do not ask for proof of your financial need, but appreciate your honesty.
I am a Masters-level clinician and a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC #17076). As the owner and founder of Neurodivergent Counselling Services (a private practice specializing in supporting Autistic, AuDHD, and PDA teens and adults), I have extensive experience working with both self-diagnosed and professionally diagnosed Autistics. I was also professionally diagnosed with Autism and ADHD as an adult. In addition to this professional and lived experience, I have additional training in neurodiversity-affirmative Autism screening and assessment (feel free to ask me for a list of trainings I have undertaken).
some other info that may be helpful
Do you have more questions? We have more answers!
assessment and diagnosis
The biggest difference between a screening and assessment is the outcome: an Autism assessment will provide an “official” diagnosis, while an Autism screening does not. An Autism assessment will use additional tools beyond what screening offers to determine if there are other diagnoses that fit better for you than Autism. In BC, adult Autism assessment usually includes diagnostic interviewing (e.g., ADOS, ADI-R, MIGDAS), and an interview with someone who knows you well (family member, long-time friend or partner) to confirm your developmental history. Whether or not you are diagnosed in an Autism assessment really relies on whether the assessor is qualified to identify the unique ways that Autism can present in adults.
Both assessment and screening use research-validated thresholds to compare your traits with those of other Autistic adults to see if they align. Both assessment and screening provide validation from a qualified professional that you do, in fact, have Autistic traits. In addition to screening questionnaires similar to those used in this screening, an Autism assessment usually rules out other possible diagnoses that may better explain your Autistic traits (although this depends on the expertise of the assessor since many Autistics are misdiagnosed by inexperienced assessors). An Autism assessment will provide an “official” diagnosis, while screening does not.
Unfortunately, there is no 100% certainty when it comes to Autism diagnosis; you can’t take a blood test or have your brain scanned to confirm you are Autistic. A professional diagnosis is subjective and as such is only as accurate as the assessor’s training and competency in identifying Autistic traits. If you have deep-dived into all things Autistic (including the info you will gain through this screening), your self-diagnosis may be just as reliable as a professional diagnosis.
Unfortunately, yes, depending on your situation. There have been reports from single parents who are diagnosed with Autism that their diagnosis has been used against them in custody battles or by social workers. An Autism diagnosis may prevent you from getting life insurance with most providers (note: Manulife may be an exception) and may prevent immigration to countries that don’t accept Autistic people. If any of these situations apply to you, consider whether screening is a better fit than assessment – there is no “official” diagnosis given with the screening so there is nothing to disclose for your medical record. Click here and here for more information on deciding whether an Autism diagnosis is right for you (note: some of the information in these articles is US-specific, such as references to the ADA and SSDI).
There are very few situations where an Autistic adult would require a professional diagnosis. Two such situations may be: to access post-secondary accommodations, and to access specific government programs. In BC, the only government program I am aware of that requires a diagnosis is Community Living BC. Otherwise, both PWD in BC and the Canada-wide Disability Tax Credit do not need a diagnosis. Workplaces cannot ask what your diagnosis is or is not, and they are obligated to provide reasonable accommodations based on your functional limitations. This guide from Disability Alliance BC talks more about what you should and should not disclose to your employer about your disability.
I have found that very few people who do the screening choose to continue on to a full assessment. Those that have (and have shared their results with me), have been diagnosed as Autistic. So while I can’t say that the screening is 100% reliable, I feel I have a good track record of getting it right!
screening suitability
Yes! Screening can provide clarity on whether you are likely to be diagnosed with Autism which can help you decide if a full assessment is worthwhile. You’ll also have a wide variety of evidence from the screening to share with the clinician doing the assessment so screening can be very helpful in preparing for an assessment.
Yes! Screening can provide the “proof” you need that you would very likely meet diagnostic criteria for Autism which can help deepen your confidence to openly embrace your Autistic identity. Self-diagnosed Autistics are welcome in the Autistic community.
Yes, I specialize in the intersections of Autism and ADHD and the screening is designed to identify AuDHDers (who may be harder to identify due to ADHD traits masking Autistic traits).
Yes, the screening includes a questionnaire specifically designed to identify traits consistent with PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance or Pervasive Drive for Autonomy). PDA is considered a profile or presentation of Autism, so PDAers not only meet the criteria for PDA, but also for Autism. This screening takes into account what Autism can look like in a PDAer.
Yes! Screening is a great choice for this. Once you see the data on how you could meet the diagnostic criteria for Autism, this can help with second-guessing and imposter syndrome.
While nearly every late-identified Autistic has some form of trauma in their past simply from being an unidentified Autistic living in a neuronormative world, significant pre-verbal trauma may make it difficult to determine whether your Autistic traits are from Autism or from trauma. While screening can show that you do have Autistic traits, you may want to consider working with an Autism-aware counsellor first to help untangle what is Autism and what is trauma.
Unfortunately, no, screening may not be right for you if your goal is to get an “official” diagnosis. However, you may find that the screening helps you feel more prepared for an Autism assessment (which is what you will need to do for an “official” diagnosis).
This is a tricky one since even with an “official” diagnosis, many Autistics find that other people invalidate and don’t believe that diagnosis. While sharing your results with others may help convince them, it’s also possible that they will remain unconvinced (usually due to their own ignorance of what Autism can look like in adults). Developing confidence in your own Autistic identity may reduce your need for validation from others who either lack knowledge about the different ways that Autism can look, or who choose to ignore that information.
Even though the diagnostic criteria for Autism are pathologizing at their core, we have endeavoured to make this screening process as neurodiversity-affirmative as possible, including a focus on neurodiversity-affirmative resources and recommendations.
Due to regulatory boundaries, this screening is only available to residents of British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. If you don’t reside in one of these provinces/territories, unfortunately we cannot offer you screening at this time.
The screening tools used have been validated for Autistic adults age 18 and up and therefore may not be valid assessment of Autistic traits in people younger than 18. So, unfortunately, no, you’ll need to wait until you turn 18.
