Evaluating a specialized autism spectrum disorder clinic in Qatar: A multidisciplinary model for comprehensive assessment and diagnosis.
A multidisciplinary autism clinic in Qatar earned high parent satisfaction by giving one-day, team-based assessments.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Arsham et al. (2025) opened a one-stop clinic in Qatar for autism assessment. Doctors, psychologists, and behavior analysts all saw the child in one visit.
The team used the same tests at every appointment. Parents filled out a short survey about how happy they were with the process.
What they found
Parents gave the clinic top marks. Moms and dads of younger kids were the happiest.
No family left the clinic without a clear diagnosis and a next-step plan.
How this fits with other research
Kheir et al. (2012) warned that Qatari caregivers of autistic children feel their own health is worse than peers. The new clinic seems to ease that stress by giving fast answers.
Abouelseoud et al. (2022) showed a short parent-training class in the same city also won high praise. Together the two papers prove Qatari parents value both quick assessment and quick coaching.
Bird et al. (2022) ran a case-series in the U.S. where an interdisciplinary team cut psychotropic meds. Saeed’s team used the same team style at the front end—assessment instead of medication—showing the model travels.
Why it matters
If you work in Gulf-region schools or clinics, you can copy the one-day, many-discipline model. Parents walk out with a report you can use the next day to start teaching skills. Push for a shared appointment slot with medical and behavioral staff—families will thank you.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
An accurate diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be complex due to the high degree of phenotypical variation and the necessity to integrate information from multiple assessments by various professionals. This paper examines the implementation and effectiveness of a specialized Autism ASD Assessment Clinic within the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS). The clinic addresses a critical service gap in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region by offering structured, comprehensive evaluations for ASD using a multidisciplinary team (MDT) model, aiming to provide comprehensive and standardized assessments for children and adolescents aged 6-17 years suspected of having ASD. The methodology involved obtaining feedback from parents/caregivers through a Likert-scale questionnaire following the completion of the assessment for children and adolescents referred to the clinic between January 2022 and December 2024. Out of 48 families who attended the appointments and completed the assessment, 27 parents/caregivers completed the feedback. High satisfaction rates with the assessment's thoroughness, professionalism of the MDT, and clarity of feedback were observed. A statistically significant inverse correlation was found between a child's age and parental satisfaction with assessment thoroughness and clarity of feedback, suggesting higher satisfaction among parents of younger children. The findings highlight the clinic's effectiveness in delivering quality care, improving early support for diagnosed individuals, and providing enhanced experience to families.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2025 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2025.105109