Autism assessment in Glasgow

What the assessment includes

Our autism assessment is thorough, evidence-based, and tailored to you as an individual. We use tools chosen for their ability to capture the full range of autistic presentations, including those that 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 people 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.
• 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.
• Written report: a detailed report summarising the assessment findings, diagnostic conclusions, and personalised recommendations for support, workplace adjustments, and next steps.

Signs you might recognise

Many autistic adults were not identified in childhood. 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. This 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.

What happens, step by step

The interviews and questionnaires can all be done by video. The MIGDAS-2 works best in person at our Glasgow rooms, though we can adapt it for online where needed.

1. Get in touch: tell us why you are seeking an assessment and we will confirm whether our service is the right fit.
2. Questionnaires: we send these before your first appointment for you to complete in your own time.
3. Clinical interview: a conversation about your current experiences and the areas of life where you notice differences.
4. Developmental history (ACIA): your early development and childhood, ideally with input from someone who knew you then.
5. MIGDAS-2 session: a relaxed, conversational session. No preparation needed.
6. Report and feedback: your psychologist writes the report, then meets you to talk through the findings and next steps.

Appointments are usually spread over two to four weeks. Your report and feedback session follow within three to four weeks of the last appointment.

What the report covers

Your report is written to be clinically robust and practical. In addition to diagnostic conclusions, it sets out how your profile presents in real-world settings and what adjustments may be helpful.

• Diagnostic summary: clear explanation of whether criteria are met and how that conclusion was reached
• Strengths and needs profile: communication style, sensory profile, routines, executive functioning, and emotional regulation
• Work and study recommendations: practical accommodations and environmental adjustments
• Mental health considerations: overlap with anxiety, burnout, and low mood where relevant
• Next-step guidance: signposting to appropriate support, including therapy options in Glasgow if needed

If you are weighing up ADHD, autism or both, a combined assessment is £1,850 and gives you one integrated report. See our ADHD assessment page or our assessments overview.

Autism in women and non-binary people

Autism is still under-recognised in women and non-binary people, largely because many learn to mask. Our psychologists are experienced with these subtler presentations and take your whole history into account, not just how you come across on the day.

Who carries out the assessment

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. You can read more about the team in our psychologist directory.