What is Neuro-Psychological Testing and Why is it Necessary?
Neuropsychological Testing
Neuropsychological testing, or a neuropsychological evaluation, refers to the examination of the relationship between your child’s brain functions and their thinking, behaviors, and emotional state. The results of the testing help us better understand your student’s unique strengths and weaknesses and provide a roadmap for the type of intervention that may be necessary.
The evaluation involves the use of standardized tests and other procedures.
The tests administered are either age- or grade-referenced. Based on standardized norms, they provide an objective means by which to determine whether your child is on target or is struggling in any given functional domain. An individual’s skill levels are determined by comparing their scores to those of normal individuals of a similar demographic background (i.e., age, education level, gender, etc.). Other procedures include interviews with the student, parents, teachers, and other interventionists (e.g., therapists, pediatricians, etc.) who are already involved in the process or who may be added later as part of the ‘team.’
In many cases, parents, teachers and the students themselves complete standardized rating scales to help provide more information about the child’s behaviors as observed within the home, inside the classroom, and in other contexts beyond the confines of testing.
What are the Areas Covered as Part of a Neuropsychological Examination?
The areas typically covered as part of a standard evaluation include intelligence, academics, executive functions (such as planning, abstraction, conceptualization), attention, memory, language, perception, sensorimotor functions, motivation, mood state and emotion, quality of life, and personality styles.
The particular areas addressed are determined by the referral question, such as the student’s concerns, and symptoms, and those observed by the parents, teachers, tutors, therapists, etc.
Who Does Neuropsychological Testing?
A neuropsychological examination is conducted by a Clinical Neuropsychologist. A Clinical Neuropsychologist is a professional psychologist trained in the science of brain-behavior relationships, who specializes in the application of assessment and intervention principles based on scientific data.
Training involves the completion of a doctoral degree in psychology, often Clinical Psychology, followed by a two-year intensive Fellowship in an accredited training program in the specialized area of Clinical Neuropsychology.
How Long Does a Neuropsychological Evaluation Take?
A complete evaluation generally takes between four and six hours, depending on the complexity of the issues being addressed and the referral question. The evaluation usually occurs over a course of several sessions, usually two to four.
Neuropsychological Testing Case Examples:
Jennifer
Jennifer is a 15-year old, 10th-grade student.
Clearly bright and always having had a great memory, she has been able to hold her own in school until now.
Jennifer is noticing that it is taking her far longer to get through homework, especially when there is a lot of reading involved.
What might take her friends one hour is taking her three.
She reads slowly and has to review the text frequently.
She is up late every night and is exhausted.
Despite putting in the extra hours and effort, her grades continue to decline.
She is down on herself.
Her anxiety levels are on the rise.
Her motivation is waning.
She used to be much happier, more social and full of life.
She is less interested in her friends, preferring to spend time alone.
Testing confirms that Jennifer is in fact very bright and capable but that her reading skills are not as strong as they should be.
In-depth testing unearths that there are subtle but very real glitches in aspects of her reading and writing.
There is a good chance she has been dyslexic her whole life.
She has been able to work around them until now, but the effects have finally caught up with her.
Jennifer’s educators embrace the test findings and put an appropriate plan into place.
She is taught techniques to improve her reading fluency and become better at extracting information.
In the meantime, she is provided with extended time on tests to help compensate.
She is permitted to ‘read’ certain books by means of an audio format, which also helps her more rapidly navigate the nightly homework process.
In time, Jennifer’s grades rebound.
Her smile returns.
She is reaching out to her friends again.
Her confidence having been restored, she moves forward with renewed vigor and motivation.
She believes in herself and her future.
Alex
Alex is an 8-year old, 3rd grader who has always had a hard time sitting still.
His parents and teachers have all observed this, ever since he was in preschool.
When something interests him, he can lock in for hours.
When it does not, however, he is unable to maintain his concentration.
He becomes distracted and drifts away.
His parents and teachers must continually redirect him.
Alex, at least outwardly, presents as lazy and this causes a lot of frustration on the part of his parents and teachers.
They interact with him accordingly.
Because he is so often the recipient of their negative forms of negative attention, Alex starts to believe that he is “dumb” and the proverbial “bad kid.”
Since he can’t focus on what the teacher is saying and needs to feel good about himself in some way, he takes on the role of the class clown.
The other kids all find him funny.
He enjoys this type of attention.
Over time, however, his grades continue to decline.
At home, away from an audience, he is a different person.
He is sad, but also angry.
His parents are frustrated with him and him with them for failing to understand what he is going through.
Alex’s assessment indicates that all of his thinking skills are excellent but that when thinking involves a lot of exertion, he tends to ‘give up’ rather easily.
Teacher and parent rating scales confirm that his focus, both in class, and when doing homework, is deficient.
Alex is eventually diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD.
Accommodations and modifications are put in place in the classroom.
The parents and teachers, armed with a better understanding of what ‘makes him tick,’ adjust their styles to be more flexible and to find ways to emphasize his strengths.
Alex’s frustration subsides. His need to feel approved by his classmates in less desirable ways melts away.
He loves the feeling of his newfound academic success and works hard to maintain it in the months and years ahead.
Does this sound familiar to what your child may be going through?
I invite you to contact me today with any questions or to schedule a consultation.
I’m here to help you and your child get back on track and understand the difficulties they may be experiencing.