Neuropsychological assessment
Neuropsychological assessment is a comprehensive assessment of an individual's cognitive abilities and emotional functioning. It is performed by a neuropsychologist, who specializes in understanding the relationship between the brain and behavior. The assessment includes the administration of tests that help identify strengths and weaknesses in different spheres of cognitive functioning, such as attention, memory, language, executive functions and visuospatial skills. The purpose of the assessment is to determine if there are any alterations in brain function that could affect an individual's thoughts, behaviours or emotions. It can help determine if there is a diagnoses and can help understand several neurological or psychiatric conditions, such as brain trauma, seizures, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning disabilities and mood disorders.
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During the neuropsychological assessment, an initial interview is first conducted to obtain information regarding the medical history, current symptoms, and any other pertinent information concerning the developmental history. This meeting is followed by assessment meetings during which standardized tests targeted towards the individual's needs are administered. Tests may include tasks that assess multiple areas of cognitive functioning (e.g., attention and concentration, memory, executive functioning, learning skills, etc.). The assessment may also include the administration of questionnaires to be completed by the individual, their family members, and other people involved in the client's life (e.g., teachers).
Following the assessment, the results of the assessment are analyzed and a detailed report is provided. The assessment report describes the cognitive strengths and weaknesses of the individual, notes the objectified deficits and underlines recommendations for possible treatments or interventions to be put in place.