ABAT EXAM PREP QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS FOR THE PROFESSIONAL PAPER
2026.
◍ Autism as a spectrum disorder with a triad of primary
impairments. Ans: Social and Emotional Interaction: Standing too
close to people, unaware of different ways of interacting with others,
has desire to have friends and relationships but struggles to initiate
them
Imagination and Flexibility of Thought: does not understand
understand others points of view or feelings, takes everything literally,
and agitated by change in routine
Social Communication and Language: asks repetitive questions,
cannot 'read between the lives' of what people mean, communicates
for one needs rather than for 'social' engagement, and makes factual
comments inappropriate to the context
◍ 'Red flags' used in early diagnosis. Ans: Any loss of speech,
babbling, gestures or social skills should be taken very seriously, as
regression is a major red flag for autism.
◍ Overview of diagnosis; how and when. Ans: Doctors look at the
child's developmental history and behavior to make a diagnosis. ASD
can sometimes be detected at 18 months or younger. By age 2, a
diagnosis by an experienced professional can be considered very
,reliable. However, many children do not receive a final diagnosis until
much older.
◍ Identify risk factors to ASD. Ans: Your child's sex. Boys are about
four times more likely to develop autism spectrum disorder than girls
are.
Family history. Families who have one child with autism spectrum
disorder have an increased risk of having another child with the
disorder. ...
Other disorders. ...
Extremely preterm babies. ...
Parents' ages
◍ Pragmatic Language. Ans: the use of appropriate communication
in social situations (knowing what to say, how to say it, and when to
say it)
◍ Receptive Language. Ans: the understanding of information
provided in a variety of ways such as sounds and words; movement
and gestures; and signs and symbols.
◍ Expressive Language. Ans: our ability to communicate our
thoughts and feelings through words, gestures, signs, and/or symbols
◍ Sensory-Motor. Ans: the process whereby a child gains use and
coordination of his/her muscles of the trunk, arms, legs and hands
, (motor development), and begins to experience (through sensory
input) the environment through sight, sounds, smell, taste and hearing
◍ Social Skills. Ans: the skills we use everyday to interact and
communicate with others. They include verbal and non-verbal
communication, such as speech, gesture, facial expression and body
language.
◍ Joint Attention. Ans: When the child points to something, not
because they want it, but to show it to someone for a social purpose.
◍ Stereotypy. Ans: suppressible, repetitive, rhythmical, coordinated,
purposeless, fixed, and nonfunctional pattern of movements.
◍ Disorders commonly associated in differential diagnosis, such as
learning disabilities, processing disorders, etc.. Ans: Learning
Disabilities: Learning disabilities are disorders that affect the ability
to understand or use spoken or written language, do mathematical
calculations, coordinate movements, or direct attention.
Processing Disorders: are conditions in which the brain has difficulty
receiving and responding to information that comes through the
senses.
◍ Identify comorbid disorders associated with ASD. Ans: Anxiety,
ADHD, Bipolar Disorder, Clinical Depression, Down Syndrome,
Fragile X Syndrome, Gastrointestinal Symptoms, Intellectual
ANSWERS FOR THE PROFESSIONAL PAPER
2026.
◍ Autism as a spectrum disorder with a triad of primary
impairments. Ans: Social and Emotional Interaction: Standing too
close to people, unaware of different ways of interacting with others,
has desire to have friends and relationships but struggles to initiate
them
Imagination and Flexibility of Thought: does not understand
understand others points of view or feelings, takes everything literally,
and agitated by change in routine
Social Communication and Language: asks repetitive questions,
cannot 'read between the lives' of what people mean, communicates
for one needs rather than for 'social' engagement, and makes factual
comments inappropriate to the context
◍ 'Red flags' used in early diagnosis. Ans: Any loss of speech,
babbling, gestures or social skills should be taken very seriously, as
regression is a major red flag for autism.
◍ Overview of diagnosis; how and when. Ans: Doctors look at the
child's developmental history and behavior to make a diagnosis. ASD
can sometimes be detected at 18 months or younger. By age 2, a
diagnosis by an experienced professional can be considered very
,reliable. However, many children do not receive a final diagnosis until
much older.
◍ Identify risk factors to ASD. Ans: Your child's sex. Boys are about
four times more likely to develop autism spectrum disorder than girls
are.
Family history. Families who have one child with autism spectrum
disorder have an increased risk of having another child with the
disorder. ...
Other disorders. ...
Extremely preterm babies. ...
Parents' ages
◍ Pragmatic Language. Ans: the use of appropriate communication
in social situations (knowing what to say, how to say it, and when to
say it)
◍ Receptive Language. Ans: the understanding of information
provided in a variety of ways such as sounds and words; movement
and gestures; and signs and symbols.
◍ Expressive Language. Ans: our ability to communicate our
thoughts and feelings through words, gestures, signs, and/or symbols
◍ Sensory-Motor. Ans: the process whereby a child gains use and
coordination of his/her muscles of the trunk, arms, legs and hands
, (motor development), and begins to experience (through sensory
input) the environment through sight, sounds, smell, taste and hearing
◍ Social Skills. Ans: the skills we use everyday to interact and
communicate with others. They include verbal and non-verbal
communication, such as speech, gesture, facial expression and body
language.
◍ Joint Attention. Ans: When the child points to something, not
because they want it, but to show it to someone for a social purpose.
◍ Stereotypy. Ans: suppressible, repetitive, rhythmical, coordinated,
purposeless, fixed, and nonfunctional pattern of movements.
◍ Disorders commonly associated in differential diagnosis, such as
learning disabilities, processing disorders, etc.. Ans: Learning
Disabilities: Learning disabilities are disorders that affect the ability
to understand or use spoken or written language, do mathematical
calculations, coordinate movements, or direct attention.
Processing Disorders: are conditions in which the brain has difficulty
receiving and responding to information that comes through the
senses.
◍ Identify comorbid disorders associated with ASD. Ans: Anxiety,
ADHD, Bipolar Disorder, Clinical Depression, Down Syndrome,
Fragile X Syndrome, Gastrointestinal Symptoms, Intellectual
