It's called the Boston Assessment of Behavioral Core Skills, or ABCS, and it's the brainchild of Dr. Mariela Vargas-Irwin.
It's a standardized test that's been used for 20 years by Applied Behavioral Learning Services in Wellesley, Mass., to help determine a child's "core skills," such as executive function, visual spatial & fine motor, social skills, reading, writing, and mathematics, per a press release.
What makes the ABCS different from other assessments, per Vargas-Irwin, is that it focuses on those skills that are "essential for everyday functioning and independence."
"By honing in on these fundamental behaviors, the Boston ABCS enables clinicians to tailor treatment plans that directly address the child's specific needs and challenges," Vargas-Irwin says.
A press release explains that the seven domains that make up the ABCSexecutive function, verbal, visual Spatial & Fine Motor, Social, Reading, Writing, and Mathematicsare assessed using standardized materials and instructions included in the test kit.
Participants then complete the test, which can be taken by anyone, including teachers, parents, and doctors, per the press release.
"The journey begins with a crucial stepengaging with parents
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