Online assessments:
- Accessibility: Online assessments can be accessed from anywhere, making them particularly beneficial for people in remote areas, those with mobility issues, or people with busy schedules.
- Convenience: Scheduling and taking assessments online can be more convenient for both the client and the practitioner, often allowing for more flexible timing.
- Anonymity and Comfort: Some individuals may feel more comfortable, less anxious, and less stigmatised having a session in the privacy of their own home.
Face-to-face:
- Rapport building: Some people might find it easier to form a stronger bond with the practitioner with a face to face appointment.
- Non-verbal cues: In face-to-face assessments, it can be easier for a clinician to observe body langauge, eye contact, and other non-verba cues that can help to support an assessment.
Where do neurodiversity assessments come in?
Evidence supports the efficacy of remote neurodiversity assessments, with diagnostic tools such as the ADOS-2 (Blackmore et al., 2023), shown to be just as thorough as face-to-face assessments (Gibbs et al., 2021; Woodcock-Johnson, 2016).
Remote assessments may be particularly suitable for people who may struggle with the social and sensory stressors of an. in-person environment, or reduce barriers for those that have trouble with time management or punctuality when attending in-person appointments.
