Autism Assessment in Glasgow by HCPC-Registered Psychologists

What Our Autism Assessment Includes

Our autism assessment is thorough, evidence-based, and tailored to you as an individual. We use specialist diagnostic tools chosen for their ability to capture the full range of autistic presentations, including those that are masked, internalised, or have been missed by previous assessments.

The assessment includes the following components:

• MIGDAS-2 (Monteiro Interview Guidelines for Diagnosing the Autism Spectrum, Second Edition): a sensory-based, conversational assessment designed to identify autism across all presentations, including those who mask or camouflage. Unlike more structured observation tools, the MIGDAS-2 uses natural conversation and sensory exploration to understand how you experience the world. It is particularly well suited to adults, women, and those with more internalised presentations.
• ACIA (Autism Clinical Interview for Adults): a detailed clinical interview exploring your developmental history, childhood experiences, and how autistic traits have presented across your life. The ACIA is specifically designed for adults and covers social communication, sensory experiences, routines, and emotional regulation in depth. Where possible, we invite input from someone who knew you in childhood.
• Clinical interview: an in-depth conversation about your current experiences, strengths, challenges, daily life, relationships, education, and work. This helps us understand how autism may be affecting you now.
• Standardised questionnaires: validated self-report measures that help build a comprehensive picture of your experiences across social communication, sensory processing, and other relevant areas.
• Comprehensive written report: a detailed report summarising the assessment findings, diagnostic conclusions, and personalised recommendations for support, workplace adjustments, and next steps.

Signs of Autism in Adults That May Prompt an Assessment

Many autistic adults were not identified in childhood, particularly those who learned to mask or camouflage their differences. If you recognise yourself in some of the following experiences, an autism assessment may be worth exploring:

• Social communication differences: finding social situations draining or confusing, difficulty reading unspoken social rules, feeling like you are performing a role in conversations, or finding small talk challenging while thriving in deep, focused discussions.
• Sensory needs: heightened or reduced sensitivity to sound, light, texture, smell, or taste. You may find certain environments overwhelming or seek out particular sensory experiences for comfort.
• Masking and camouflaging: consciously or unconsciously copying the social behaviour of others, rehearsing conversations, or suppressing natural responses to fit in. Masking can be exhausting and may contribute to burnout, anxiety, or low mood.
• Need for routine and predictability: finding comfort in routines and becoming distressed when plans change unexpectedly. You may prefer to know what to expect in advance and find transitions between activities difficult.
• Special interests: intense, focused interests that bring deep satisfaction and a sense of flow. These interests may be lifelong or may change over time, and they often feel different from the hobbies of people around you in their depth and intensity.
• Autistic burnout: periods of significant fatigue, reduced functioning, and withdrawal that may follow sustained masking, sensory overload, or prolonged demands that exceed your capacity. Autistic burnout is increasingly recognised as a distinct experience and is different from general stress or depression.

These experiences exist on a spectrum, and not everyone who relates to them will be autistic. An assessment can help you understand your experiences more clearly, whether or not it leads to a diagnosis.

How the Autism Assessment Process Works at Illuminated Thinking

We have designed our assessment process to be as clear, comfortable, and accommodating as possible. Here is what to expect at each stage:

1. Initial enquiry: contact us or book a free 10-minute call with our Clinical Director to discuss your reasons for seeking an assessment. We will let you know whether our service is a good fit for your needs.
2. Pre-assessment questionnaires: before your first appointment, we send you a set of standardised questionnaires to complete in your own time. These help your psychologist prepare for the assessment sessions.
3. Clinical interview: a detailed conversation about your current experiences, history, and the areas of life where you notice differences. This can be conducted in person or via secure video.
4. Developmental history: an interview exploring your early development and childhood, ideally with input from someone who knew you as a child. This can be conducted in person or online.
5. MIGDAS-2 assessment: a conversational, sensory-based session where your psychologist explores how you experience the world through natural discussion rather than structured tasks. This can be conducted in person at our Glasgow consulting rooms or online. There is no preparation needed.
6. Report and feedback: your psychologist integrates all of the information and produces a comprehensive written report. A feedback session is then arranged to discuss the findings, answer your questions, and talk through recommendations and next steps.

The whole process typically takes 2–4 weeks from first appointment to feedback, though we can work flexibly around your availability.

Autism Assessment for Women and Non-Binary Individuals

Autism has historically been under-diagnosed in women, non-binary people, and those who do not fit the stereotypical presentation often associated with autism. Research shows that autistic women and gender-diverse individuals are more likely to camouflage or mask their autistic traits, often developing sophisticated social strategies that can delay or prevent identification.

At Illuminated Thinking, our psychologists have a thorough understanding of how autism presents across genders and are experienced in recognising the subtler presentations that are frequently missed. We are aware that many people seeking assessment later in life have spent years feeling different without understanding why, and we approach every assessment with sensitivity and an affirming stance.

If you are a woman or non-binary person considering an autism assessment, you can be confident that our psychologists understand the ways in which autism may present differently for you and will take the full context of your experiences into account.

Our Autism Assessment Psychologists in Glasgow

Our autism assessments are conducted by HCPC-registered psychologists with doctoral-level training and specialist experience in neurodevelopmental conditions. Dr Aisha Tariq, Clinical Psychologist and Director of Illuminated Thinking, leads our autism assessment service. Dr Tariq has extensive experience in assessing autism in adults, including those with complex presentations, co-occurring conditions, and late-identified individuals.

All of our assessing psychologists take a neurodiversity-affirming approach. We view autism as a natural form of human variation and focus on understanding your individual profile of strengths and support needs, rather than framing differences as deficits. View our full team, get in touch, or book a free 10-minute call with our Clinical Director to discuss your assessment needs.