What is a Neuropsych Evaluation?
As a neuropsychologist, I’m focused on measuring how well the brain is working. I look at abilities like memory, attention, problem-solving, and language to understand if there are any issues or changes in brain function. A neuropsych evaluation assesses all of these areas, while a psycho-educational evaluation is a comprehensive assessment of a student's cognitive, academic, and socio-emotional functioning.
Though IQ and academic achievement are two of the primary domains (i.e., the main psychoed pieces), a complete picture of development and learning style comes with the addition of tests that assess the many other brain-based skills intricately involved in the expression of those core domains.
For example, assessment of memory regulation (beyond the two short working memory subtests included in IQ testing) reveals strengths/weakness along the encoding and recall processes to better determine learning styles and develop accommodations/supports to promote efficient and effective learning.
A complete review of executive functioning and attention regulation (beyond subjective parent/teacher rating scales) allows us to more specifically determine how a diagnostic label like “ADHD” could impact one’s independent management of daily expectations beyond the ability to “pay attention.”
Targeted clinical observations/directed social engagement attempts during a multi-hour evaluation, combined with a detailed review of early developmental history and pervasive cognitive-behavioral patterns observed by a child’s parents/teachers/other caregivers, provide the information needed to differentiate neurodevelopmental disorders like Autism Spectrum Disorder from ADHD and the catch-all “developmental delay” label to ensure the most comprehensive treatment plan is implemented.
Though I do include applicable diagnoses, such labels in and of themselves only relay general information about the possible manifestations of a diagnosis. Thus, I rely on the comprehensive neuropsych evaluation to provide the specificity needed to understand each patient’s strengths and needs.
