The Neuropsychological Exam
A Neuropsychological evaluation is a functional evaluation of an individual's brain functioning as it relates to cognition, mood, and behavior. A Neuropsychologist may use a variety of tests to assess various areas of brain functioning, depending upon such factors as the individual's age, developmental level, medical condition, and particular areas of interest. Specific areas assessed by the CPODD Neuropsychological testing protocol include intelligence, executive functioning (including attention, problem-solving, reasoning, mental efficiency, processing speed, and self-regulation), memory, fine motor control, spatial analysis, visual-motor integration, language, and reading efficiency. The protocol also includes clinical interviews and rating forms that allow us to assess the individual's and their family's psychological functioning and coping skills, including how their medical condition may be affecting their quality of life.
Testing time typically takes about three hours of the client's time and another one to two hours of their family's time. For most evaluations the client is undergoing testing while the family is completing forms and participating in an extensive clinical interview so the total test time rarely takes more than four hours from start to finish. There are occasions when a more extensive battery of tests is needed. On those occasions the initial appointment may be arranged to last a full day, rather than the more typical half-day, or a second testing appointment will be made so that the evaluation occurs over two visits.