Licensed Educational Psychologist · LEP #4701
Jessica Craig Psych Testing · A Bespoke Concierge Practice in Hermosa Beach
Autism Evaluation in the South Bay — Including Teenage Girls & Late-Identified Adults
Comprehensive autism spectrum evaluation for children, adolescents, teenagers, teenage girls, and adults in Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach. Specialty expertise in high-masking presentations, late identification, and the autistic profiles routinely missed in girls, women, and high-achieving teenagers.
Gold-standard ADOS-2 diagnostic instrument. Begin with a $500 Diagnostic Screening Consult or proceed directly to full assessment.
Autism Looks Different Than the Stereotype
Some of the most capable, perceptive, deeply empathetic people I have ever met were completely missed by the systems that were supposed to catch them.
They were the children who struggled enormously with social dynamics they could not decode — but who were “too social” to be autistic. The teenage girls who were exhausted all the time but “too smart” for anyone to take seriously. The adult women who had spent decades performing neurotypicality so perfectly that everyone, including themselves, had missed what was actually going on.
A comprehensive autism evaluation looks at the whole picture. It is a clinical process that sees the person behind the performance.
Not sure if a full autism evaluation is the right next step?
Begin with a Diagnostic Screening Consult — a focused 90-minute clinical session with Jessica that includes targeted screening measures, clinical interview, and a clear recommendation about whether a full assessment is warranted.
Why Teenage Girls Are So Often Missed
The research is unambiguous: girls are diagnosed with autism years later than boys, and many are never diagnosed at all. If you are a parent of a teenage girl you suspect may be autistic — or a young woman seeking your own evaluation — this section is for you.
- Teenage girls learn to mimic social behavior (“camouflage” or “mask”) earlier and more effectively than many autistic boys
- Their special interests are often socially acceptable (animals, books, a specific fandom, an academic subject) and do not raise flags
- They are more likely to be diagnosed with anxiety, depression, borderline personality disorder, or an eating disorder first — sometimes for years before autism is identified
- Diagnostic criteria were developed primarily on male subjects and do not fully capture the female adolescent presentation
- They manage to appear “fine” at school while experiencing profound exhaustion, shutdowns, and distress at home
The consequences of a missed diagnosis are significant. Without understanding the underlying neurological differences, a teenage girl with autism will continue to blame herself for what is actually a mismatch between her nervous system and a world not designed for it. An accurate diagnosis is not a label that limits — it is an explanation that liberates.
Signs That an Autism Evaluation May Be Appropriate
Autism presents differently in every person. I am looking for a pattern — not a checklist of stereotypes. Signs commonly seen in children, adolescents, teenagers, and adults who are ultimately identified as autistic include:
- Difficulty with unspoken social rules — understanding technically what was said, but not why a situation went wrong
- Intense, focused interests that provide deep satisfaction and emotional regulation
- Sensory sensitivities: textures, sounds, lights, smells, or sensations that others seem not to notice but are genuinely distressing
- Strong preference for routine and predictability; significant distress when plans change unexpectedly
- Social exhaustion after interactions that appeared “fine” from the outside — needing significant recovery time afterward
- Difficulty with unstructured social situations: parties, lunch tables, group projects, small talk
- Taking language literally; difficulty with sarcasm, subtext, or nonverbal communication
- Emotional regulation difficulties that seem disproportionate — because they are the last straw after a full day of compensating
- History of anxiety, depression, or eating disorders without a clear explanation, or treatment that has not fully resolved symptoms
What the Autism Evaluation Includes
Clinical Interview
For children and adolescents, a thorough parent interview covering developmental history from infancy through the present. For teenage and adult clients seeking their own evaluation, a careful clinical interview about your history, your experience, and what brought you here.
Direct Observation — ADOS-2
I use the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, 2nd Edition (ADOS-2) — the gold-standard, research-validated instrument for autism assessment. The ADOS-2 is a structured observation protocol, not a test. I interact with the client in a series of activities designed to elicit the social communication behaviors most relevant to autism diagnosis.
Rating Scales & Adaptive Functioning
Validated instruments including the GARS-3 (Gilliam Autism Rating Scales), CARS2-HF (Childhood Autism Rating Scale, High Functioning Version), and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales — providing day-to-day functional data and comparison to established norms.
Cognitive & Academic Assessment
Understanding cognitive strengths and challenges is essential to understanding autism. I assess intellectual abilities and processing profiles using WISC-V, WJ-IV, or CAS2 depending on the referral question.
Social-Emotional & Mental Health Assessment
Anxiety and depression are extremely common in autistic individuals — particularly in those who have been masking. I assess mental health functioning using the BASC-3 and self-report measures so the full clinical picture is visible.
Two Ways to Begin Your Autism Evaluation
Diagnostic Screening Consult
90-minute focused clinical consultation with targeted autism screening measures and a clear recommendation about whether a full ADOS-2 assessment is warranted. The $500 credits toward your full evaluation if you proceed.
Full Autism Spectrum Evaluation
Comprehensive ADOS-2-based assessment: clinical interview, gold-standard diagnostic observation, multi-informant rating scales, cognitive and adaptive assessment, integrated written report, and feedback session.
Both options include direct work with Jessica. Superbills provided for PPO out-of-network reimbursement. See full Services & Fees for all evaluation packages and tier configurations.
Why Families & Adults Choose Dr. Craig for Autism Evaluation
My clinical background includes years of direct work with individuals experiencing complex mental health conditions — dual diagnoses, mood disorders, trauma — before I specialized in educational psychology. I do not simply look for autism or rule it out. I see the complete clinical picture, including the anxiety, the depression, and the survival strategies that have developed over years of not understanding why the world felt so hard.
I worked as an ERMHS counselor in South Bay high schools, sitting with teenage girls who were clearly struggling and had not yet received an explanation that fit. I know what it looks like when a teenager has been holding it together all day and has nothing left by the time she gets home. I know how to build the trust necessary to complete a meaningful evaluation with an adolescent who has learned to hide.
As a parent of neurodivergent teenagers myself, I understand what it means to advocate fiercely for a child the system keeps saying is fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can teenage girls be autistic if they have friends and do well socially?
Yes. Autistic teenage girls frequently mask their social differences by carefully observing peers and consciously mimicking social behavior. This masking is exhausting and often leads to anxiety, depression, or burnout by adolescence. The fact that a teenage girl appears socially capable does not rule out an autism spectrum diagnosis. The diagnostic process specifically looks at the cognitive and emotional cost of social functioning, not just the surface presentation.
What is the ADOS-2 and why is it the gold-standard test for autism?
The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, 2nd Edition (ADOS-2) is the most rigorously validated diagnostic instrument for autism. Unlike rating scales, it is a structured observation protocol in which the clinician engages the client in specific activities designed to elicit the social communication behaviors most relevant to autism diagnosis. Used together with developmental history and rating scales, the ADOS-2 provides the diagnostic certainty that families seeking an answer need.
How is autism diagnosed in adult women who were missed as children?
Adult autism evaluation in women combines a thorough developmental history (including review of childhood experiences and patterns), the ADOS-2, validated self-report and informant measures, and careful clinical interview. The evaluation looks for the underlying neurological profile, not just visible behaviors. Many adult women report that diagnosis provides an explanation that finally fits decades of feeling different without knowing why.
Does the $500 Diagnostic Screening Consult cover an autism diagnosis?
The Diagnostic Screening Consult is a clinical screening, not a full diagnosis. It includes targeted autism screening measures and a clinical recommendation about whether a full ADOS-2-based evaluation is warranted. If a full evaluation is indicated, the $500 credits toward the comprehensive autism evaluation (from $3,000).
What ages do you evaluate for autism?
Jessica provides autism evaluation for children (typically age 7 and older), tweens, adolescents, teenagers, teenage girls, and adults. Specialty expertise includes late-identified autistic women and high-masking presentations in adolescent girls.
Schedule a Free 15-Minute Consultation
No commitment required. Jessica speaks personally with every prospective client to determine fit, answer questions, and walk through next steps.