Autism testing · Carlsbad · Vista
Autism Testing in San Diego
A thorough autism evaluation gives you a clear answer, whether you are an adult who has always felt different or a parent seeking clarity for your child. We assess teens and adults, including late-diagnosed and high-masking adults, and kids ages 5 and up, in person in Carlsbad and Vista.
4.9 on Google · Doctoral-level psychologists · Serving North County since 2018
Who we test
Ages 5+
Kids, teens & adults
Where
2 offices
Carlsbad & Vista
Wait to start
1–2 weeks
From booking to first session
Timeline
6–8 weeks
Intake to written report
Start with
A free call
15 minutes, no pressure
What an autism evaluation is
What an autism evaluation actually involves.
An autism evaluation is a structured assessment that a doctoral-level psychologist uses to determine whether autism explains long-standing social, sensory, and communication patterns. At Coastal Therapy Group it runs across two to four appointments: a clinical interview and developmental history, standardized autism measures and structured clinical observation, cognitive and adaptive testing where the question requires it, an outside expert review, and a feedback session before your written report.
We are a relational, attachment-informed practice, so our evaluators are clinicians first. The report is affirming and readable: a clear answer about how you are wired, and a plan for what comes next, not a wall of scores.
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Affirming, not pathologizing.
We evaluate autism as a way of being wired, not a deficit to be corrected. The report names strengths alongside challenges, in language that respects how you experience the world.
02
Adult measures, not childhood checklists.
For teens and adults we use current instruments validated for adult presentations, so a lifetime of masking does not hide the answer. Co-occurring ADHD, anxiety, and trauma are noted clearly.
03
Reviewed before it is final.
Every evaluation is reviewed by an outside consulting expert, Dr. Elizabeth Laney, and presented to our full team before the report is signed.
Who this is for
For adults and teens who have always known something fit differently.
Many of the adults who come to us learned to mask early and got good enough at it that no one, sometimes including themselves, ever wondered. This is especially common in women, in people who did well academically, and in anyone whose presentation did not match the narrow profile clinicians were looking for decades ago. A few signs it is worth an evaluation:
- You have read about high-masking autism and felt seen in a way that is hard to explain.
- Your child's recent diagnosis sounds a lot like your own childhood.
- You have been told for years it is anxiety, depression, ADHD, or "burnout", and none of it ever fully fit.
- Social situations take a level of effort, and recovery, that other people do not seem to need.
- Sensory input (noise, light, texture) affects you more than people around you expect.
- You want to understand yourself clearly, whether or not a formal diagnosis is the goal.
We also evaluate kids and teens whose pattern was missed by a generalist. Whichever it is, we use current, validated measures designed for the age and presentation in front of us, and we write the report so you, your therapist, your physician, or your employer can actually use it.
What it costs
We post the price so you do not have to ask.
A comprehensive autism evaluation costs $3,000 to $5,000. The fee includes the free consultation, the clinical interview, all testing and scoring, the written report, and the feedback session.
If autism and ADHD are both in question, an integrated AuDHD evaluation assesses both at once and runs $4,000 to $6,000. If a full evaluation is more than you need right now, Insight Sessions are a lighter 3-session, assessment-informed alternative at $840. We confirm the exact figure for your case on the free call, before any work begins.
- Autism evaluation Adult, teen, or child. Developmental history, standardized autism measures, and social and adaptive profiles.
- $3,000 – $5,000
- Combined autism + ADHD (AuDHD) One integrated evaluation and report when both questions are on the table.
- $4,000 – $6,000
- Insight Sessions A lighter 3-session, assessment-informed consultation. A starting point when full testing is more than you need right now.
- $840
Out-of-network · Superbill provided · HSA / FSA accepted
Comprehensive psychological testing is frequently eligible for partial out-of-network reimbursement. We provide a superbill for CPT codes 96136, 96137, 96130, and 96131; coverage varies by plan, so confirm your out-of-network testing benefits before scheduling.
How it works
What the process actually looks like.
About 9 hours of your time across two to four appointments, plus the feedback session. Nothing surprises you: we tell you what each session is for before you book it.
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The free 15-minute call.
You tell us what you are trying to understand. We tell you whether an autism evaluation is the right tool, what it would involve, and what it would cost. No sales energy.
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Clinical interview and developmental history.
A 60-to-90-minute conversation about your history, early development, and how social, sensory, and communication differences show up. For children, we add a structured caregiver interview (the ADI-R).
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Autism-specific measures.
Structured and self-report measures of social communication (such as the SRS-2), together with direct clinical observation, administered in person. For adults, we use measures built for adult presentations rather than childhood checklists.
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Cognitive, social, and adaptive measures.
Where the question requires it, we add cognitive testing, social-communication measures (SRS-2), and adaptive-functioning measures (ABAS-3), plus a differential for ADHD, anxiety, and trauma.
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Outside expert review and team consultation.
Before the report is finalized, the case is reviewed by our outside consulting expert and presented to our full team. The diagnostic impression is tested against alternative explanations.
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Feedback session and written report.
A 60-to-90-minute feedback session in plain, affirming language, then a written report you can use with schools, colleges, employers, therapists, and other providers.
The testing team
Six psychologists and a postdoctoral fellow who do autism testing.
Not sure where to start? Our Director of Psychological Testing, Dr. Chelsea Dudley, can match you with the right clinician. Every evaluation is conducted, scored, and written by the same doctoral-level clinician.
Common questions
Frequently asked autism testing questions.
The questions below come up almost every week. If yours is not here, the 15-minute call is the place for it.
01 What does an autism evaluation actually involve?
An autism evaluation is a structured assessment that a doctoral-level psychologist uses to determine whether autism explains long-standing social, sensory, and communication patterns. It runs across two to four appointments: a clinical interview and developmental history, standardized autism measures and, for children, a structured caregiver interview (the ADI-R), cognitive and adaptive testing where the question requires it, an outside expert case review, and a feedback session before your written report.
02 Autism testing vs. an online screening quiz: what is the difference?
A screening quiz (like the AQ or RAADS-R) flags whether autism is worth investigating. It cannot diagnose autism, rule out the conditions that look similar (ADHD, anxiety, trauma, social anxiety), or produce documentation for accommodations. A comprehensive evaluation does all three: it uses standardized diagnostic measures, a clinical interview, and developmental history to give you a defensible answer and a usable report.
03 Do you evaluate adults for autism, including late diagnoses?
Yes. A large share of our autism evaluations are adults, many of them late-diagnosed, high-masking, or women whose autism was read as anxiety, depression, or ADHD for years. We use current measures validated for adult presentations, not childhood checklists adapted upward, so the evaluation reflects how autism actually presents in adults who have spent a lifetime compensating.
04 How much does autism testing cost in San Diego?
A comprehensive autism evaluation costs $3,000 to $5,000. The fee includes the free consultation, the clinical interview, all testing and scoring, the written report, and the feedback session. If autism and ADHD are both in question, an integrated AuDHD evaluation assesses both at once and runs $4,000 to $6,000. We confirm the exact figure for your case on the free call, before any work begins.
05 How long does autism testing take, start to finish?
About 9 hours of your time across 2 to 4 appointments, plus the feedback session. From your first appointment to receiving your written report, the full process typically takes 6 to 8 weeks.
06 What ages do you test?
We evaluate children starting at age 5, teens, and adults of all ages. For younger children, we are glad to refer you to colleagues who specialize in early-childhood evaluation.
07 Will the report support school or workplace accommodations?
Yes. Our reports are written to the standards that school districts, college disability offices, the College Board, and employers accept, and they include diagnostic conclusions and specific recommendations you can act on.
08 Do you take insurance for autism testing?
We are out-of-network with all plans, which lets us spend the time the work requires. Comprehensive testing is frequently eligible for partial out-of-network reimbursement: we provide a superbill for CPT codes 96136, 96137, 96130, and 96131, and HSA and FSA accounts are accepted directly. Coverage varies by plan, so confirm your out-of-network testing benefits before scheduling.
09 Should I get tested for autism, ADHD, or both?
If both feel like they might apply, evaluating for both at once is usually more accurate and more cost-effective than doing them one after another. Autism and ADHD overlap in important ways, and a combined AuDHD evaluation lets us see how the pieces fit together. We talk through whether that fits on the free consultation call.
When you are ready
Let's figure out whether an autism evaluation is the right next step.
Fifteen minutes on the phone with our Director of Psychological Testing, Dr. Chelsea Dudley. No pitch, no pressure. By the end of the call you will know what you need, what it would cost, and whether we are the right people for it.
4.9 on Google · Out-of-network · Superbill provided · Serving North County since 2018