How Neuropsychological and Psychological Exams Contribute to Treatment
Neuropsychological and psychological examinations are empirical methods of collecting information about an individual’s cognitive, motor and emotional functioning. Domains of cognitive functioning typically addressed by a neuropsychological evaluation include attention, impulse control, cognition, flexibility, verbal and nonverbal reasoning, working memory, visual-motor processing speed, academic skills, and memory. Domains of emotional functioning typically addressed by psychological evaluation including psychological symptoms, behaviors, and personality traits that influence an individual’s functioning including aggressivity, anxiety, and depression. The use of valid and reliable neuropsychological and psychological tests specifically developed to assess these domains provides objective information for more effective treatment.
Testing Protocols
Psychological and neuropsychological tests were developed to be administered under standardized conditions. Many of the tests have a specific order in which they should be administered, scripts for instructions, and time conditions that are essential to the integrity and validity of the test (e.g., delays of a specific interval between trials).
The Influence of Time on Examination Results
The time required to administer neuropsychological and psychological usually requires eight to twelve hours, excluding rest or lunch breaks. Examinees work at different paces; some need more frequent breaks, and some are not able to sustain cognitive testing for extended periods of time. Most combined neuropsychological and psychological examinations take place over a two-day period for the comfort of the examinee and the validity of the test results.
Since 1990, IAS principals have developed and published some widely used neuropsychological and psychological tests.
Our most recent cross-cultural test battery is scheduled for publication in July of 2022.