OVERVIEW OF PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING OF THE EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to provide a list of psychological assessment methods for children with autism spectrum disorders to identify the characteristics of their development and to plan educational activities. The application of the described methods in the process of the initial examination of a younger schoolchild with autism allows determining their readiness to start learning, the characteristics of cognitive functions, sensorimotor phenomena, the level of communicative and signs of social behavior, and the strengths and weaknesses of their development in order to develop an individual educational program. The research methodology is based on a theoretical analysis of foreign-language literature and generalized concepts of diagnostic methods in the context of the educational process for students with autism spectrum disorders in Ukrainian institutions. The text provides an overview of the following diagnostic methods: QNST-3R, ASIEP-3, ABLLS-R, SSP, SCSP2, PEP-3. The scientific novelty is the systematization of psychological methods for diagnosing the specifics of educational activities of schoolchildren with autism based on international scientific sources. The article highlights factual information about the developers of each method, its purpose, advantages, and features of application. It also suggests the multifunctionality of the described methods for potential subjects, the prospects for further use of diagnostic data in the process of comprehensive support by a team of specialists at an educational institution for a child with autism before the start and during active educational activities. The article proves the need for careful selection of an effective method of psychological diagnosis for the successful examination of schoolchildren with autism spectrum disorders, taking into account the neuropsychological functioning of the child. Based on information about the state of sensorimotor development, social behavior, level of self-regulation, teachability, and other unique characteristics of each student with special needs, psychologists and special educators will be able to develop the most effective educational program.