Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-7cvxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-18T08:15:51.541Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

15 - Neuropsychological Testing and Assessment

from Part II - Specific Clinical Assessment Methods

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 December 2019

By
Julie A. Suhr  and
Kaley Angers
Edited by
Martin Sellbom  and
Julie A. Suhr
Martin Sellbom
Affiliation:
University of Otago, New Zealand
Julie A. Suhr
Affiliation:
Ohio University
Get access

Summary

In this chapter, we describe the field of clinical neuropsychology and approaches to neuropsychological assessment. We critically review tests commonly used in neuropsychological assessment. Our critical review includes coverage of concurrent and criterion validity as well as other important aspects to construct validity for neuropsychological tests (i.e., relationship to functional and structural imaging, ecological validity of test scores). Throughout our review, we also address the use of neuropsychological tests with diverse individuals. Throughout the chapter, we emphasize the need for assessment of the credibility of neuropsychological test performance in order to interpret test results. We also discuss unique assessment issues that arise in neuropsychological assessment, with a focus on neuropsychological test selection issues, interpretation of scores from neuropsychological tests, and integration of test scores with other data. We also briefly discuss relatively unique ethical/professional issues that arise in the neuropsychological assessment context.

Keywords

neuropsychological assessmentpsychometricsattentionmemorylanguagevisuospatial/constructional abilityexecutive functioning
Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Handbook of Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis , pp. 191 - 207
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2019

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology. (2017). Adult neuropsychology. https://theaacn.org/adult-neuropsychologyGoogle Scholar
APA (American Psychological Association). (2010). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct.Google Scholar
Ashendorf, L., Vanderslice-Barr, J. L., & McCaffrey, R. J. (2009). Motor tests and cognition in healthy older adults. Applied Neuropsychology, 16, 171–179.Google Scholar
Baldo, J. V., Arevalo, A., Patterson, J. P., & Dronkers, N. F. (2013). Gray and white matter correlates of picture naming: Evidence from a voxel-based lesion analysis of the Boston Naming Test. Cortex, 49, 658–667.Google Scholar
Barrash, J., Stillman, A., Anderson, S. W., Uc, E. Y., Dawson, J. D., & Rizzo, M. (2010). Prediction of driving ability with neuropsychological testing: Demographic adjustments diminish accuracy. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 16, 679–686.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bauer, R. M., Iverson, G. L., Cernich, A. N., Binder, L. M., Ruff, R. M., & Nagle, R. I. (2012). Computerized neuropsychological assessment devices: Joint position paper of the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology and the National Academy of Neuropsychology. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 27, 362–373.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Benton, A. L., Hamsher, K. deS., & Sivan, A. B. (1994). Multilingual aphasia examination (3rd ed.). San Antonio, TX: Psychological Corporation.Google Scholar
Bilder, R. (2011). Neuropsychology 3.0: Evidence-based science and practice. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 17, 7–13.Google Scholar
Binder, L. M. (1982). Constructional strategies on Complex Figure drawings after unilateral brain damage. Journal of Clinical Neuropsychology, 4, 51–58.Google Scholar
Binder, L. M., & Binder, A. L. (2011). Relative subtest scatter in the WAIS-IV standardization sample. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 25, 62–71.Google Scholar
Binder, L. M., Iverson, G. L., & Brooks, B. L. (2009). To err is human: “Abnormal” neuropsychological scores and variability are common in healthy adults. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 24, 31–46.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bohnen, N. I., Kuwabara, H., Constantine, G. M., Mathis, C. A., & Moore, R. Y. (2007). Grooved Pegboard as a test of biomarker nigrostriatal denervation in Parkinson’s disease. Neuroscience Letters, 424, 185–189.Google Scholar
Bowman, M. L. (2002). The perfidy of percentiles. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 17, 295–303.Google Scholar
Brooks, B. L., Holdnack, J. A., & Iverson, G. L. (2011). Advanced clinical interpretation of the WAIS-IV and the WMS-IV: Prevalence of low scores varies by level of intelligence and years of education. Assessment, 18, 156–167.Google Scholar
Brooks, B. L., Iverson, G. L., Holdnack, J. A., & Feldman, H. H. (2008). Potential for misclassification of mild cognitive impairment: A study of memory scores on the Wechsler Memory Scale-III in healthy older adults. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 14, 463–478.Google Scholar
Bush, S., & Lees-Haley, P. R. (2005). Threats to the validity of forensic neuropsychology data: Ethical considerations. Journal of Forensic Psychology, 4, 45–66.Google Scholar
Casaletto, K. B., & Heaton, R. K. (2017). Neuropsychological assessment: Past and future. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 23, 9–10.Google Scholar
Chelune, G. J. (2010). Evidence-based research and practice in clinical neuropsychology. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 24, 454–467.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Constantinou, M., Ashendorf, L., & McCaffrey, R. J. (2005). Effects of a third party observer during neuropsychological assessment: When the observer is a video camera. Journal of Forensic Neuropsychology, 4, 39–47.Google Scholar
Crawfold, J. R., Garthwaite, P. H., Morrice, N., & Duff, K. (2012). Some supplementary methods for the analysis of the RBANS. Psychological Assessment, 24, 365–374.Google Scholar
Dandachi-FitzGerald, B., Ponds, R. W. H. M., & Merten, T. (2013). Symptom validity and neuropsychological assessment: A survey of practices and beliefs of neuropsychologists in six European countries. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 28, 771–783.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
DeFillips, N.A., & McCampbell, E. (1997). Booklet category test (2nd ed.). Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.Google Scholar
Dekker, M. C., Ziermans, T. B., Spruijt, A. M., & Swaab, H. (2017). Cognitive, parent, and teacher rating measures of executive functioning: Shared and unique influences on school achievement. Frontiers in Psychology, 8. doi:103389/fpsyg.2017.00048Google Scholar
Delis, D. C., Kaplan, E., & Kramer, J. L. (2001). The Delis-Kaplan executive function system examiner’s manual. San Antonio, TX: Psychological Corporation.Google Scholar
Delis, D. C, Kramer, J. H., Kaplan, E., & Ober, B. A. (2017) California verbal learning test (3rd ed.). San Antonio, TX: Psychological Corporation.Google Scholar
Donnell, A., Belanger, H., & Vanderploeg, R. (2011). Implications of psychometric measurement for neuropsychological interpretation. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 25, 1097–1118.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Elbulok-Chacape, M. M., Rabin, L. A., Spadaccini, A. T., & Barr, W. B. (2014). Trends in the neuropsychological assessment of ethnic/racial minorities: A survey of clinical neuropsychologists in the US and Canada. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 20, 353–361.Google Scholar
Folstein, M. F., Folstein, S. E., & McHugh, P. R. (1975). “Mini-mental state”: A practical method for grading the cognitive state of patients for the clinician. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 12, 189–198.Google Scholar
Gershon, R.C., Wagster, M.V., Hendrie, H.G., Fox, N.A., Cook, K.A., & Nowinski, C.J. (2013). NIH Toolbox for assessment of neurological and behavioral function. Neurology, 80, S2–S6.Google Scholar
Golden, C. J., & Freshwater, S. M. (2002). Stroop Color and Word Test: Revised examiner’s manual. Wood Dale, IL: Stoelting Co.Google Scholar
Goodglass, H., Kaplan, E., & Barresi, B. (2001). Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination (3rd ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.Google Scholar
Haaland, K. Y., & Delaney, H. D. (1981). Motor deficits after left or right hemisphere damage due to stroke or tumor. Neuropscyhologia, 19, 17–27.Google Scholar
Hannay, H. J., Bieliaukas, L., Crosson, B. A., Hammeke, T. A., Hamsher, K. deS., & Koffler, S. (1998). Proceedings of the Houston Conference on specialty education and training in clinical neuropsychology. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 13, 157–250.Google Scholar
Heaton, R. K., Chelune, G. J., Talley, J. L., Kay, G. G., & Curtis, G. (1993). Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) manual, revised and expanded. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.Google Scholar
Heaton, R. K., Miller, S. W., Taylor, M. J., & Grant, I. (2004). Revised comprehensive norms for an expanded Halstead-Reitan battery: Demographically adjusted neuropsychological norms for African-American and Caucasian adults. Lutz, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.Google Scholar
Heilbronner, R.L., Sweet, J.J., Attix, D.K., Krull, K.R., Henry, G.K., & Hart, R.P. (2010). Official position of the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology on serial neuropsychological assessments: The utility and challenges of repeat test administrations in clinical and forensic contexts. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 24, 1267–1278.Google Scholar
Hilsabeck, R. C. (2017). Psychometrics and statistics: Two pillars of neuropsychological practice. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 31, 995–999.Google Scholar
Horwitz, J. E., & McCaffrey, R. J. (2008). Effects of a third party observer and anxiety on tests of executive function. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology 23, 409–417.Google Scholar
Huizenga, H.M., ven Rentergem, J.A., Agelink, G., Raoul, P.P.P, Muslimovic, D., & Schmand, B. (2016). Normative comparisons for large neuropsychological test batteries: User-friendly and sensitive solutions to minimize familywise false positives. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 38, 611–629.Google Scholar
Ivnik, R. J., Malec, J. F., Smith, G. E., Tangalos, E. G., & Peterson, R. C. (1996). Neuropsychological test norms above age 55: COWAT, BNT, MAE Token, WRAT-R Reading, AMNART, Stroop, TMT, and JLO. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 10, 262–278.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jagaroo, V., & Santangelo, S. L. (Eds.). (2016). Neurophenotypes: Advancing psychiatry and neuropsychology in the “OMICS” era. New York: Springer.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kaplan, E., Goodglass, H., & Weintraub, S. (2001). The Boston naming test-II. Philadelphia: Lea & Febinger.Google Scholar
Kaufman, P. M. (2009). Protecting raw data and psychological tests from wrongful disclosure: A primer on the law and other persuasive strategies. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 23, 1130–1159.Google Scholar
Kløve, H. (1963). Clinical neuropsychology. In Forster, F. M. (Ed.), The medical clinics of North America. New York: Saunders.Google Scholar
Kongs, S. K., Thompson, L. L., Iverson, G. L., & Heaton, R. K. (2000). Wisconsin Card Sorting Test-64 Card Version. Lutz, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.Google Scholar
Kramer, J.H., Mungas, D., Possin, K.L., Rankin, K.P., Boxer, A.L., … … … Widmeyer, M. (2014). NIH EXAMINER: conceptualization and developmental of an executive function battery. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 20, 11–19.Google Scholar
Lange, R. T., & Lippa, S. M. (2017). Sensitivity and specificity should never be interpreted in isolation without consideration of other clinical utility metrics. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 31, 1015–1028.Google Scholar
Lezak, M. D., Howieson, D.B., Bigler, E.D., & Tranel, D. (2012). Neuropsychological assessment (5th ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Lucas, J. A., Ivnik, R. J., Smith, G. E., Ferman, T. J., Willis, F. B., Peterson, R. C., & Graff-Radford, N. R. (2005). Mayo’s Older African Americans Normative Studies: Norms for Boston Naming Test, Controlled Oral Word Association, Category Fluency, Animal Naming, Token Test, WRAT-3 Reading, Trail Making Test, Stroop Test, and Judgment of Line Orientation. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 19, 243–269.Google Scholar
Lucas, J. A., Ivnik, R. J., Willis, F. B., Ferman, T. J., Smith, G. E., Parfit, et al. (2005). Mayo’s older African Americans normative studies: Normative data for commonly used neuropsychological tests. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 19, 162–183.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Manly, J. J., Jacobs, D. M., Sano, M., Bell, K., Merchant, C. A., Small, S. A., & Stern, Y. (1998). Cognitive test performance among nondemented elderly African Americans and Whites. Neurology, 50, 1238–1245.Google Scholar
Martin, P. K., Schroeder, R.W., & Odland, A. P. (2015). Neuropsychologists’ validity testing beliefs and practices: A survey of North American professionals. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 29, 741–776.Google Scholar
Messerli, P., Seron, X., & Tissot, R. (1979). Quelques aspects des troubles de la programmation dans le syndrome frontal. Archives Suisse de Neurologie, Neurchirugie et Psychiatrie, 125, 23–35.Google Scholar
Meyers, J. E. (2017). Fixed battery. In Kreutzer, J., DeLuca, J., & Caplan, B. (Eds.), Encyclopedia of clinical neuropsychology (pp. 1–2). New York: Springer.Google Scholar
Meyers, J. E., & Meyers, K. (1995). The Meyers scoring system for the Rey complex figure and the recognition trial: Professional manual. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.Google Scholar
Mitrushina, M. N., Boone, K. B., Razani, J., & d’Elia, L. F. (2005). Handbook of normative data for neuropsychological assessment (2nd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Miyake, A., Friedman, N.P., Emerson, M.J., Witzki, A.H., & Howerter, A. (2000). The unity and diversity of executive functions and their contributions to complex ‘frontal lobe’ tasks: A latent variable analysis. Cognitive Psychology, 41, 49–100.Google Scholar
Moering, R.G., Schinka, J.A., Mortimer, J.A., & Graves, A.B. (2004). Normative data for elderly African Americans for the Stroop Color and Word Test. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 9, 61–71.Google Scholar
National Academy of Neuropsychology. (2003). Test security: An update. Official statement of the National Academy of Neuropsychology. Author. https://www.nanonline.org/docs/PAIC/PDFs/NANTestSecurity Update.pdfGoogle Scholar
Nuechterlein, K. H., Green, M. F., Kern, R. S., Baade, L. E., Barch, D. M., Cohen, T. D. et al. (2008). The MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery, part 1: Test selection, reliability, and validity. American Journal of Psychiatry, 165, 203–213.Google Scholar
Osterrieth, P. A. (1944). Le test de copie d’une figure complexe. Archives de Psychologie, 30, 206–356 [trans. J. Corwin and F. W. Bylsma (1993), The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 7, 9–15].Google Scholar
Otto, R. K., & Krauss, D. A. (2009). Contemplating the presence of third party observers and facilitators in psychological evaluations. Assessment, 16, 362–372.Google Scholar
Parsey, C. M., & Schmitter-Edgecombe, M. (2013). Applications of technology in neuropsychological assessment. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 27, 1328–1361.Google Scholar
Parsons, T. D. (2015). Virtual reality for enhanced ecological validity and experimental control in the clinical, affective, and social neurosciences. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 9, 660.Google Scholar
Rabin, L. A., Paolillo, E., & Barr, W. B. (2016). Stability in test-usage practices of clinical neuropsychologists in the United States and Canada over a 1 10-year period: A follow-up survey of INS and NAN. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 31, 206–230.Google Scholar
Rabin, L. A., Spadaccini, A. T., Brodale, D. L., Grant, K. S., Elbulok-Charcape, M. M., & Barr, W. B. (2014). Utilization rates of computerized tests and test batteries among clinical neuropsychologists in the United States and Canada. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 45, 368–377.Google Scholar
Reeves, D.L., Winter, K.P., Bleiberg, J., & Kane, R.L. (2007). ANAM Genogram: Historical perspectives, description, and current endeavors. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 22, S15–S37.Google Scholar
Reitan, R. M. (1955). The relation of the Trail Making Test to organic brain damage. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 19, 393–394.Google Scholar
Reitan, R. M., & Wolfson, D. (1985). The Halstead-Reitan neuropsychological test battery: Theory and clinical interpretation. Tucson, AZ: Neuropsychology Press.Google Scholar
Reitan, R. M., & Wolfson, D. (1993). The Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery: Theory and clinical interpretation (2nd ed.). Tucson, AZ: Neuropsychology Press.Google Scholar
Rhodes, M. G. (2004). Age-related differences in performance on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test: A meta-analytic review. Psychology and Aging, 19, 482–494.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Romero, H. R., Lageman, S. K., Kamath, V., Irani, F., Sim, A., Suarez, P. et al. (2009). Challenges in the neuropsychological assessment of ethnic minorities: Summit proceedings. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 23, 761–779.Google Scholar
Sawrie, S. M., Chelune, G. J., Naugle, R. I., & Luders, H. O. (1996). Empirical methods for assessing meaningful change following epilepsy surgery. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 2, 556–564.Google Scholar
SCN (Society for Clinical Neuropsychology Division 40 of the American Psychological Association). (2015). About the Society for Clinical Neuropsychology. www.scn40.org/about-scn.htmlGoogle Scholar
Silverberg, N. D., & Millis, S. R. (2009). Impairment versus deficiency in neuropsychological assessment: Implications for ecological validity. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 15, 94–102.Google Scholar
Smith, G. E., Ivnik, R. J., & Lucas, J. (2008). Assessment techniques: Tests, test batteries, norms, and methodological approaches. In Morgan, J. E. & Ricker, J. H. (Eds.), Textbook of Clinical Neuropsychology (pp. 38–57). New York: Taylor & Francis.Google Scholar
Steinberg, B. A., Bieliauskas, L. A., Smith, G. E., & Ivnik, R. J. (2005). Mayo Older Americans Normative Studies: Age- and IQ-adjusted norms for the Trail-Making Test, the Stroop Tees, and MAE Controlled Oral Word Association Test. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 19, 329–377.Google Scholar
Storms, G., Saerens, J., & DeDeyn, P. P. (2004). Normative data for the Boston Naming Test in native Dutch-speaking Belgian children and the relation with intelligence. Brain and Language, 91, 274–281.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Strauss, E., Sherman, E. M. S., & Spreen, O. (2006). A compendium of neuropsychological tests (3rd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Suhr, J. A. (2015). Empirically based assessment: A problem-solving approach. New York: Guilford Press.Google Scholar
Sweet, J. J., & Breting, L. G. (2012). Affidavit regarding opposition to the presence of third party observers and recording of neuropsychological and psychological assessments performed in the state of Illinois. https://theaacn.org/wp- content/uploads/2015/10/third-party-observer-affidavit-completed-2013-all-abcn-illinois-practicing-psychologists.pdfGoogle Scholar
Sweet, J. J., Benson, L. M., Nelson, N. W., & Moberg, P. J. (2015). The American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology, National Academy of Neuropsychology, and Society for Clinical Neuropsychology (APA, Division 40) 2014 TCN professional practice and ‘salary survey’: Professional practices, beliefs, and incomes of U.S. neuropsychologists. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 29, 1069–1162.Google Scholar
Tombaugh, T. N., & McIntyre, N. J. (1992). The Mini-Mental State Examination: A comprehensive review. Journal of American Geriatric Society, 40, 922–935.Google Scholar
Wechsler, D. (2008). Wechsler Memory Scale – Fourth Edition (WMS-IV): Technical and interpretive manual. San Antonio, TX: Pearson.Google Scholar
Yantz, C. L., & McCaffrey, R. J. (2005). Effects of a supervisor’s observation on memory test performance of the examinee: Third party observer effect confirmed. Journal of Forensic Neuropsychology, 4, 27–38.Google Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×