Recommended protocol for autism

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by a diverse range of strengths and challenges that often include cognitive differences in areas such as reasoning, attention, working memory, and impulse control. While traditional assessments focus on behavioral traits, incorporating objective cognitive testing provides valuable insights that can guide diagnosis, intervention, and support planning.

The Value of Cognitive Testing in ASD

Individuals with autism often display unique cognitive profiles—highlighting both areas of challenge and areas of strength. Rather than generalizing across the spectrum, cognitive assessments help tailor support by identifying specific executive function differences, attention patterns, and reasoning abilities.

According to Hennessy et al. (2024), cognitive screening with domain-specific tasks significantly improves our ability to characterize executive function deficits in children with neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism and ADHD—underscoring the need for regular, structured cognitive assessment in these populations.

Recommended Creyos Assessment Tasks for ASD

The following Creyos tasks are recommended for evaluating cognitive function in individuals with concerns of ASD:

• Token Search (Working Memory)

• Rotations (Mental Rotation & Visual-Spatial Ability)

• Odd One Out (Reasoning)

• Spatial Planning (Executive Function – Planning)

• Grammatical Reasoning (Verbal Reasoning)

• Double Trouble (Response Inhibition)

• Number Ladder (Visuospatial Working Memory )

• Digit Span (Verbal Short-Term Memory)

These tasks align with research that identifies subtle but significant differences in reasoning, attention regulation, and impulse control in autistic individuals. For instance, Kuenzel et al. (2024) observed increased attempts on Double Trouble in children with ASD—suggesting a pattern of reduced impulse control, which can inform behavioral intervention strategies.

➤ Refer to our Condition-Based Research Guide for more information on the appropriate task selection for neurodevelopmental-specific conditions.

Supplemental Questionnaires

To further support diagnostic clarification, treatment planning, and documentation of medical necessity, the following behavioral and functional assessments are recommended alongside Creyos tasks:

• • Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) – Core screening tool for ASD traits.

  • Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Rating Scale (VADRS) – Screens for comorbid ADHD symptoms.

  • Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) – Supports ADHD assessment in adults.

  • Strengths and Weaknesses of ADHD Symptoms and Normal Behavior (SWAN) – Dimensional behavior assessment.

  • Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) – Assesses depressive symptoms, common in ASD.

  • General Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) – Screens for co-occurring anxiety.

These tools help create a holistic picture of cognitive and behavioral functioning—supporting accurate diagnosis, tailored intervention strategies, and thorough documentation for payer or educational requirements.

Supporting Research and Insights

• Hennessy et al. (2024): Creyos tasks could classify children with ASD or ADHD with 53–60% accuracy based on performance differences.

• Jassim et al. (May 2022), (Sept. 2022): People with autism performed better than controls when identifying subtle mismatches on matching tasks, but worse when confirming identical images—highlighting a unique pattern in perceptual discrimination.

• Matsuura et al. (2014): Children with autism showed lower scores in perceptual reasoning but not in Token Search, compared to typical development, while ADHD children did show Token Search deficits.

• Gillespie-Lynch et al. (2023): Improvement in Spatial Planning task performance after educator-led interventions showed that executive function can be positively influenced.

Creyos assessments are both practical and reliable for individuals on the autism spectrum. More than 93% successfully completed the tasks with valid results, supporting its effectiveness as a tool for cognitive evaluation in both clinical care and educational planning.

Clinical Application and Future Implications

While ASD presents with a wide array of cognitive patterns, measuring these objectively can help distinguish between overlapping diagnoses (e.g., ADHD, intellectual disability), identify strengths that may support compensatory strategies, and highlight deficits that may benefit from cognitive or behavioral interventions.

Cognitive insights also support care transitions, from school-based planning to vocational or therapeutic programming in adulthood. Importantly, executive function skills—like planning, impulse control, and reasoning—measured early through tasks such as Spatial Planning and Double Trouble, have been linked to long-term behavioral outcomes (Kenny et al., 2018).

➤ For more insights and scientific publications in the application of Creyos in developmental disorders, see our Scientific Publication Research Studies.

Additionally, if you are looking for more detailed reimbursement information, visit the Reimbursement & Coding Support section.