Psychological diagnosis

At ART Clinic we can make an official psychological and medical diagnosis of the following psychological problems:

• Eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, ARFID, other.)
• Personality disorders
• Anxiety
• Depression, Bipolar disorder
• ADHD
• ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder)

In case of children, ADHD or psychotic disorders, if our diagnosis is not conclusive, we may refer you to a specialized center to finalize the diagnostic process. 

Whether you are in therapy with us or if you are only interested in making the diagnosis, you can book a 90-minute diagnostic session during which we will carry out the clinical interview, we will ask you to fill in diagnostic tests if necessary and we will prepare an official report. Depending on the need and the diagnoses, 1 session may be enough or we may need an additional session. After the diagnostic session, and especially in adolescents, a feedback session will be necessary to explain the diagnosis, inform family members (in the case of minors) and clarify doubts.

In the case of ASD, the diagnosis is more extensive. You can find more information below.

After doing the examination, it will be necessary to have a session with the professional to:

• Share test results and their interpretation
• Clarify the meaning of the diagnosis (what it is and what it is not)
• Guide on the steps to follow
• Recommend the necessary line of treatment in these cases
• Assess if medication is necessary

An ASD assessment is a comprehensive, individualised clinical process. It is not based on a single test: it combines developmental history, clinical interviews, direct observation and, when relevant, cognitive and executive-function measures. The aim is to understand each person’s characteristics, conduct a differential diagnosis and provide useful recommendations for next steps.

Who is the assessment for?

An assessment may be appropriate when there are questions about communication and social interaction, flexibility in response to change, intense or restricted interests, sensory differences, or a sense of having had to learn social rules consciously.

The process begins with an orientation interview lasting approximately 60 minutes (100€). We explore the reasons for seeking an assessment, current difficulties and the characteristics that have led to a possible ASD diagnosis. The AQ (Autism-Spectrum Quotient) may be used as a screening questionnaire.

This first stage does not provide a diagnosis on its own. It helps us decide which tests are needed and design an assessment tailored to the person’s profile.

We gather information about development, childhood, relationships, communication, adjustment to change and functioning in different settings. When possible and appropriate, someone who knows the person’s developmental history well may contribute to this stage.

Clinical tools may include:

• ADI-R (Autism Diagnostic Interview – Revised): an in-depth diagnostic interview focusing on developmental history and autism-related characteristics.
• ACIA (Autism Clinical Interview for Adults): a clinical interview designed specifically for adults.

For adults, some developmental information may be integrated into the ACIA and ADI-R interviews to avoid unnecessary repetition and adapt the duration of the process.

Clinical observation with ADOS-2

The ADOS-2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule – Second Edition) provides a structured observation of communication, social interaction, flexibility and responses to change or unfamiliar situations.

Not everyone needs the same test battery. Following the orientation session, we decide whether it would be helpful to include:

• Cognitive assessment with WAIS-V, to understand the person’s cognitive profile.
• Executive-function assessment with BRIEF-A, using self-report measures.
• Additional questionnaires, selected according to clinical needs and the differential diagnosis.

These measures help us understand strengths and difficulties more fully, but they are included only when they provide clinically relevant information.

An assessment that considers masking

In some people—particularly women and those who have developed extensive social-adaptation strategies—autistic characteristics may be missed by conventional assessments.

At the end of the assessment, we prepare a clinical report integrating the information gathered, test results, diagnostic conclusions and individual recommendations.

We then hold a feedback session of approximately 60 minutes to:

• Explain the results and how they have been interpreted.
• Clarify what the diagnosis means—and what it does not mean.
• Answer questions.
• Discuss next steps.
• Recommend support, accommodations or treatment when needed.

The duration depends on each person’s needs. A comprehensive assessment using all planned interviews and tests may require approximately 13.5 hours of clinical work, including administration and scoring, integration of results, report writing and feedback.

Not every assessment requires the full battery. After the first session, we propose an individual assessment plan and estimate. As a guide, a core assessment may cost between €800 and €900, with additional tests where clinically indicated; a comprehensive assessment may cost approximately up to €1,250