Neuropsychological Evaluation
What is a Neuropsychological Evaluation?
A neuropsychological evaluation is a comprehensive assessment of cognitive and psychological functioning. Evaluations are conducted by clinical neuropsychologists who have specialized training in brain-behavior relationships. During the evaluation, the neuropsychologist will conduct a clinical interview, review related medical, psychological or academic records and administer standardized neuropsychological assessments that measure abilities in areas such as: memory, attention, language, processing speed, problem solving and reasoning, visuospatial skills and academic functioning. Questionnaires that assess mood and personality may also be utilized.
What is the purpose?
Neuropsychological evaluations provide important information about skills linked to brain function, and can be especially useful after any kind of injury to the brain or if there has been any change in a person’s medical status or daily functioning. Specifically, evaluation results can be used to:
Provide diagnostic clarification
Identify cognitive strengths and weaknesses
Guide treatment plans and provide highly specific recommendations
Obtain work or school accommodations
Supplement application for disability
Inform return to work or driving
Establish a cognitive baseline and/or measure disease progression
What to expect?
The neuropsychological evaluation contains three distinct parts: clinical interview, test administration, and feedback session.
During the clinical interview, the neuropsychologist will obtain detailed information on the current problem as well as comprehensive background information. With the client’s permission, a family member or close friend may also interviewed (either in person or over the phone) to provide additional information. Test administration consists mostly of paper-and-pencil tests and may also involve the use of blocks, puzzles, cards, simple motor exercises, oral questions or computer stimuli. Once the clinical interview and test administration is complete, the neuropsychologist will score, interpret and integrate all available data. A face-to-face feedback session is then scheduled to discuss test results, diagnostic implications, treatment recommendations and answer any questions. Findings are also summarized in a detailed report.
How long does the evaluation take?
The length of the evaluation depends on several factors, including the presenting problem, referral question and documentation needs. Typically, the clinical interview lasts between 1-2 hours, test administration lasts between 2-4 hours, and the feedback session lasts another hour. The interview and test administration sessions may be scheduled on one day or broken up as needed. Feedback is typically scheduled 1-2 weeks following the completion of test administration.
What should I bring with me?
Pertinent medical records, including hospital records, doctors visit notes, neuroimaging results
Pertinent academic, legal or occupational records
List of current medications
Glasses, hearing aides or any other assistive devices
Water and/or a snack if needed