Neuropsychological and psychological evaluations in school settings are often rich in detail about a child’s cognitive, academic and emotional functions, and come with specific recommendations to support the child’s performance in school. However, there is often a gap between the assessment results and the implementation of the recommendations, since learning specialists and teachers frequently do not have the means to both interpret and implement the recommendations. This manual presents clear and specific guidelines for school counselors and teachers to decode and put into practice evaluation findings. The book begins by describing various functional domains that are assessed in a neuropsychological evaluation, and then notes how to recognize behavior and learning styles impacted by difficulty in one of more of the domains. Furthermore, it outlines activities that could be used in the classroom or other environments to support a child’s weaknesses, develop new skills, or appear to particular strengths. Finally, ready-to-use worksheets and activities are offered. This is an essential tool for school psychologists, special education teachers, and learning specialists and counselors.

The United States Social Security Administration (SSA) administers two disability programs: Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), for disabled individuals, and their dependent family members, who have worked and contributed to the Social Security trust funds, and Supplemental Security Income (SSSI), which is a means-tested program based on income and financial assets for adults aged 65 years or older and disabled adults and children. Both programs require that claimants have a disability and meet specific medical criteria in order to qualify for benefits. SSA establishes the presence of a medically-determined impairment in individuals with mental disorders other than intellectual disability through the use of standard diagnostic criteria, which include symptoms and signs. These impairments are established largely on reports of signs and symptoms of impairment and functional limitation. Psychological Testing in the Service of Disability Determination considers the use of psychological tests in evaluating disability claims submitted to the SSA. This report critically reviews selected psychological tests, including symptom validity tests, that could contribute to SSA disability determinations. The report discusses the possible uses of such tests and their contribution to disability determinations. Psychological Testing in the Service of Disability Determination discusses testing norms, qualifications for administration of tests, administration of tests, and reporting results. The recommendations of this report will help SSA improve the consistency and accuracy of disability determination in certain cases.

Neuropsychological assessment is a difficult and complicated process. Often, experienced clinicians as well as trainees and students gloss over fundamental problems or fail to consider potential sources of error. Since formal test data on the surface appear unambiguous and objective, they may fall into the habit of overemphasizing tests and their scores and underemphasizing all the factors that affect the validity, reliability, and interpretability of test data. But interpretation is far from straightforward, and a pragmatic application of assessment results requires attention to a multitude of issues. This long-awaited, updated, and greatly expanded second edition of the Clinician's Guide to Neuropsychological Assessment, like the first, focuses on the clinical practice of neuropsychology. Orienting readers to the entire multitude of issues, it guides them step by step through evaluation and helps them avoid common misconceptions, mistakes, and methodological pitfalls. It is divided into three sections: fundamental elements of the assessment process; special issues, settings, and populations; and new approaches and methodologies. The authors, all of whom are actively engaged in the clinical practice of neuropsychological assessment, as well as in teaching and research, do an outstanding job of integrating the academic and the practical. The Clinician's Guide to Neuropsychological Assessment, Second Edition will be welcomed as a text for graduate courses but also as an invaluable hands-on handbook for interns, postdoctoral fellows, and experienced neuropsychologists alike. No other book offers its combination of breadth across batteries and approaches, depth, and practicality.

While experienced neuropsychologists may be well-versed in the standard process of conducting a neuropsychological evaluation, they may still have difficulty determining a client's current functioning, given his or her unique cultural context. This is especially true when the client and the clinician do not share the same ethnic background and language fluency. In such cases, the clinician risks administering a biased assessment with invalid tests, misinterpreted data, and inappropriate - if not harmful - treatment recommendations. Daryl Fujii helps neuropsychologists enhance their cultural competence by providing readers with a broad framework for cultivating an ethnorelative - instead of an ethnocentric - view of clients. He begins by reviewing relevant research and professional guidelines that explain how cultural factors can impact a neuropsychological evaluation. Then he outlines preliminary strategies for establishing rapport and improving communication with clients, estimating their premorbid functioning, gathering pertinent data, selecting and translating appropriate tests, and working with interpreters. The closing chapters present a detailed case example that demonstrates a pre-assessment interview, test interpretation, report writing, treatment recommendations, and a final feedback session with the client.

Feedback that Sticks is a compilation of the strategies and metaphors of over 85 senior neuropsychologists: compelling, accessible ways of explaining complex neuropsychological concepts to patients, their family members, and other professionals. It provides a unique opportunity for practicing neuropsychologists to develop and strengthen their own approaches to providing feedback.

One of the challenges the field of clinical neuropsychology faces is to develop an assessment process that is relevant and responsive to the needs of patients. Indeed, it has been suggested that the survival of neuropsychology as a clinical discipline may be threatened due to an overemphasis on diagnosing cognitive deficits as opposed to developing methods that meet patients’ needs. One way to meet this need is for psychologists to extend their services by developing clinical interventions that contribute to enhancing patients’ cognitive and emotional well-being. Providing feedback from the results of neuropsychological tests is one method suggested as a way to enhance patient care and satisfaction with the assessment process while providing a link between clinical assessment and therapeutic interventions. In current practice, providing feedback to patients about the results of neuropsychological assessments has been considered an optional procedure by clinicians and thus received little attention in the literature. Yet there is evidence that when feedback is provided to patients the effects are overwhelmingly positive. Feedback provides a bridge between assessment and treatment by facilitating the development of applicable treatment plans. There is no agreed upon conceptual framework for providing feedback from neuropsychological assessment, although researchers have made recommendations. However, these recommendations have done little to affect clinical practice and training despite the fact that including patient-oriented feedback enhances the likelihood that neuropsychological assessment will remain a relevant and important component of patient care. The purpose of this proposed book is to first describe developments in methods of neuropsychological assessment feedback that involve active collaboration with patients in an open exchange of information and results. Second, we will present a comprehensive model for conducting neuropsychological assessment feedback. The authors of this book are expert clinical practitioners and academic researchers who are at the forefront of the development and implementation of Collaborative Therapeutic Neuropsychological Assessment methods. Table of contents follows.

Assessment of Neuropsychological Functions in Psychiatric Disorders covers findings on all major psychiatric disorders. This book looks at neuropsychological assessment, phenomenology, and rehabilitation of psychiatric patients.