Principles of Neurodiversity-Affirming Collaborative Assessment

Traditional assessments focus on identifying deficits and determining diagnoses, but there is growing recognition of the importance of honoring neurodiversity in our clinical work as a result of the neurodiversity paradigm and movement. Therapeutic Assessment has emphasized greater collaboration between the client and clinician. We suggest that ideas from the neurodiversity paradigm can be combined with traditions from Therapeutic Assessment to create a more effective process. We introduce principles of Neurodiversity Affirming Collaborative Assessment using the acronym CARES: Collaborative Understanding, Accessibility, Recognizing Intersectionality, Empowerment, and Strengths Recognition. We offer practical strategies that can be applied to assessments across the lifespan.