Neuropsychological Assessment
Neuropsychological assessment is available to people who wish to identify their cognitive strengths and weaknesses and identify strategies that will help build independence and improve productivity. Assessments are usually conducted over two testing occasions and a third appointment provides opportunity to discuss the assessment results and strategies. Assessments are invoiced for 10 hours of service - which includes psychometric assessment, test scoring and interpretation, written report and verbal feedback to discuss results of assessment and recommendations.
Problem Solving Kickstart:
Attendance of an initial consultation prior to booking an assessment will help you to identify your assessment needs so that recommendations are targeted and meaningful.
Neuropsychological Assessment Explained
What is a Neuropsychological Assessment?
Who carries out the assessment?
A clinical neuropsychologist is a registered psychologist with advanced training in assessing and treating people with brain disorders. To practice, they must have current endorsement in the area of Clinical Neuropsychology with Australian Health Practitioners Registration Authority (AHPRA).
What is the aim of the assessment?
The main aim of the assessment is to objectively measure your cognitive strengths and weaknesses. The neuropsychological assessment is a sensitive tool for the diagnosis of cognitive impairment, particularly in cases where changes in behaviour or ability are subtle and not evident on CT or MRI scans. An assessment can help your doctor to confirm a diagnosis, and/or monitor your progress across time.
Strengths and weaknesses are explored in relation to your thinking skills, short-term memory, emotions, and behaviour, in order to see if there are any difficulties that could be caused by your medical condition.
Consideration is given to factors such as your age, years of education, and usual level of intellectual functioning. Current emotional influences, such as your level of anxiety or depression, are also explored.
The neuropsychologist can make recommendations to you, your doctors, and your wider care team, to help you to achieve what is most important for you.
How will it help me?
The neuropsychologist can help in a range of ways including:
- Uncovering the nature of cognitive or emotional changes you may have experienced as a result of your medical condition
- Working with you to explore ways to better manage any problems you may be experiencing
- Helping you to maximise your independence and live your best life
- Documenting any changes over time
- Assisting with treatment planning
- Predicting and enhancing social, education and work outcomes
- Working with you and your family/support network to help you to live your best life
What does the assessment involve?
You will be assessed in a quiet, private room. First the neuropsychologist will talk with you and any accompanying family members you choose to have with you. You will be asked about any changes in your thinking and memory that you may have noticed. Your accompanying family member or friend will also be asked about any change they have noticed in you. You will be asked questions about your background, such as your education and employment history. This information is important for interpreting the assessment results.
Then the neuropsychologist will see you on your own for formal assessment. The neuropsychologist will ask you to complete a number of tasks and will observe and measure your responses. These tasks will include answering questions, remembering stories and completing paper-and-pencil tasks and puzzles.
Some of the cognitive functions that might be evaluated are:
- attention
- speed of thinking and responding
- memory and learning
- language
- solving visual puzzles
- problem-solving
- decision making
None of the tasks ire physically painful or harmful, but some can involve concentrating and thinking quite hard for short periods of time. So, they can be effortful and tiring over time. A neuropsychological assessment is a fairly time-consuming process because of its complexity and can take anywhere between about 3 - 6 hours, including breaks. For this reason, assessments are usually scheduled when you feel at your freshest and are often carried out over a number of sessions on different days.
Who will get to know about my assessment results?
After the assessment the neuropsychologist will analyse your performance results against normative data. This will allow them to identify your cognitive strengths and weaknesses, form an opinion regarding diagnosis, and generate recommendations to help you achieve what is important to you.
The neuropsychologist will arrange a feedback session where they will discuss the assessment results and recommendations with you and with anyone else you choose to attend. The practical implications of the results will be discussed with you, and the neuropsychologist will work with you to identify strategies you may find helpful and achievable. Recommendations will take into account your specific circumstances and unique psychological needs, including elements of your cognitive, emotional, motivational functions.
The neuropsychologist will write a report of the assessment, findings and recommendations. You will receive a copy of the written report. A copy of the report can be sent to your GP or specialist if you choose and with your written consent.