What is a neuropsychological assessment and who is involved?

A neuropsychological assessment is a comprehensive standardized evaluation of an individual’s strengths and weaknesses across a variety of brain functions. Neuropsychological information is most commonly used to better understand an individual’s thinking skills including learning, memory, attention, information processing speed, language functioning, visual-spatial skills, and everyday behaviour.

The neuropsychologist selects the tests, gathers information in the form of an interview, administers tests, interprets the assessment results, writes the neuropsychological report, and provides feedback and recommendations. A wide variety of tests are administered, and the individual completing the assessment may be asked to answer questions, remember information, work with his or her hands, and work on a computer.

How are assessment results interpreted?

Testing scores are compared to other same-aged “typically developing” individuals (i.e., who have not suffered nor were born with any major illness or injury). The neuropsychologist will review the test results, recommendations, and implications based on the individual’s performance across the various ability areas assessed.

What types of tests are used in the neuropsychological assessment?

Tests used depend on a number of factors, including the nature of the referral question, the individual’s age, and whether previous assessments have been conducted.

 The assessment may include an evaluation of the following skills and abilities:

• level and pattern of general intellectual functioning (i.e., IQ, verbal and nonverbal abilities)
• academic achievement (i.e., reading, spelling, arithmetic)
• attention and concentration
• sensory-perceptual abilities (i.e., perception of touch, visual, and auditory information)
• motor skills (i.e., strength, speed, coordination)
• expressive and receptive language abilities
• visual-spatial abilities (i.e., perceiving visual details, understanding visual relationships, organization of visual information)
• learning and memory of new information
• higher order executive functioning (i.e., problem solving, reasoning, planning, organization, self-      monitoring, cognitive flexibility)
• emotional functioning and behavioural regulation