Neuropsychological testing

Wondering about neuropsychological testing? This article contains information on neurocognitive testing, including neuropsychiatric examinations.

Neuropsychology is a specialized area within psychology that requires additional training in neuropsychological testing.

Neuropsychiatric examinations are standardized and informative tools that help clarify diagnoses, guide treatment plans, and allow for monitoring over time. These tests are done with patients to evaluate cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning.

A psychologist will receive an additional two years of training in neuropsychological testing to focus on psychological test administration and interpretation.

During this additional training, they receive supervised experience in honing their craft, determining which tests to choose, how to best administer them, and ways to ensure test taking accuracy, despite other confounding factors.

Additionally, they often collaborate in a multidisciplinary team and make tailored recommendations for treatment planning, academic accommodations, or workplace adjustments based on test findings.

What are neuropsychiatric examinations?

Neuropsychiatric examinations are focused assessments conducted by a clinician and designed to answer a certain question. The evaluations may include standardized tests, interviews, and observations of various aspects of one’s mental health.

These tests have been developed and standardized with a certain population, such as a specific age group, and are consequently approved for use with individuals who fit this inclusion criteria.

Neuropsychiatric examinations are often requested to obtain additional insight and clarification about a clinical question. For example, an individual may be identified as having a cognitive impairment, but the rehabilitation team would like to know what type of retraining strategies the patient needs most.

Neuropsychiatric examinations may be completed for individuals with dementia, traumatic brain injuries, or those who have experienced a stroke.

Some individuals might have many simultaneous psychiatric symptoms, which can make it difficult to determine a diagnosis that could guide treatment.

A psychiatrist may refer a patient for brain testing in order to help understand the patient’s diagnosis.

Neuropsychological testing can provide objective data on cognitive functioning, which may not be immediately apparent through clinical interviews alone.

Brain testing can help identify how psychiatric symptoms are impacting daily functioning and guide personalized treatment.

Parents may request neuropsychological testing of a child as a result of concerns about a potential developmental disorder, such as autism spectrum disorder. The child may require an educational plan to identify a learning disability, which could require formal testing.

Neuropsychological test examples

Neuropsychological testing contributes to one’s understanding of how an individual can process, store, and recall information, organize tasks, and apply their abilities to solve complex problems.

Together, they offer a view of an individual’s strengths and weaknesses, which helps diagnose conditions and plan interventions.

Several common neuropsychological test examples include:

• Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test: Assesses visual-spatial skills
• Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS): Measures intelligence, cognitive ability, memory, and processing speed
• Wechsler Memory Scale: Tests memory

How does a neuropsychological evaluation measure your cognitive deficits?

Most neuropsychological tests are a type of standardized testing.

A standardized test means that the test is administered the same way each time, with the same test materials and same procedures.

This helps reduce differences in how the tests are conducted, which would lead to unreliable results.

Neuropsychiatric examinations aim to yield objective measurements about an individual’s cognitive abilities, behaviors, mood, or other functioning. The tests may allow results to be contextualized within a broader population by comparing them across different groups or populations.

A test that is standardized means that it can detect deviations from typical functioning. In the development of a neuropsychiatric examination, the test maker would have collected results from a large group of people to determine what a person without a particular issue would have scored. A statistician would create a cutoff, beyond which a score would suggest a specific disorder or condition.

Neuropsychological testing also helps provide valuable ability to track changes in performance over time. This could help assess whether one’s mood or behavior has improved or declined, thereby monitoring the effectiveness of treatment.

By obtaining a test result via standardized testing, the severity of a condition can be better understood and help the family determine the most appropriate level of care or supervision a person may require in their daily life.

For example, an individual with significant cognitive decline may require supervised living to prevent safety risks such as forgetting to turn off appliances, wandering, or being unable to manage medications properly.

In a situation in which a condition is progressive, neuropsychological testing provides a clear trajectory for adjusting care needs before the person is unable to make the decision for themselves.

What is neuropsychological testing for ADHD?

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a developmental disorder consisting of patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that interfere with everyday functioning.

Typically beginning in childhood and affecting academic performance and relationships, ADHD is a disorder of executive functioning, which encompasses attention, memory, and processing speed.

Neuropsychological testing for ADHD, therefore, focuses on tests of executive functioning, such as the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test.

Memory tests include the Wechsler Memory Scale and the California Verbal Learning Test.

The Continuous Performance Test (such as the Conners’) is one of the most commonly used tests to assess attention and impulse control. The Trail Making Test evaluates cognitive flexibility, attention, and processing speed.

The Cognitive Assessment of Attention is a specific test for ADHD that assesses an individual’s ability to sustain attention over time, as well as their capacity for selective attention (focusing on relevant stimuli while ignoring distractions).

The results of all formal ADHD tests should be interpreted in the context of behavioral observations.

A neuropsychologist will observe the patient during the administration of various tests to evaluate their behavior, including signs of hyperactivity, impulsivity, or inattentiveness.

Knowing the specific areas affected by ADHD (e.g., attention, memory, or hyperactivity) can help tailor interventions to the individual’s needs.

To make a diagnosis of ADHD, the client must show functional impairment in two or more settings.

The neuropsychologist may ask that teachers and parents complete rating scales such as a Conners’ Rating Scale or Vanderbilt Assessment Scale to appropriately diagnose ADHD as well.

These would show how symptoms vary in different environments such as school, home, or social settings.

Neuropsychological testing is a versatile tool that can be used in a wide range of settings. These tests provide an understanding of one’s cognitive and emotional status, help inform diagnosis, guide treatment plans, and allow for monitoring of functioning over time.

How SimplePractice streamlines running your practice

SimplePractice is HIPAA-compliant practice management software with everything you need to run your practice built into the platform—from booking and scheduling to insurance and client billing.

If you’ve been considering switching to an EHR system, SimplePractice empowers you to run a fully paperless practice—so you get more time for the things that matter most to you.

Try SimplePractice free for 30 days. No credit card required.