Neuropsychology & Forensic Psychology Assessments

For patients undergoing a psychological or neuropsychological evaluation, a minimum of 3-4 hours of in-person evaluation is required. For a comprehensive evaluation, which requires both neuropsychological and psychological testing and also may include academic/achievement testing, 6-8 hours of in-person evaluation is common. These appointments are scheduled to be conducted in one or two days, depending on preference and availability.  Breaks are taken throughout the evaluation as is necessary and, for full day appointments, a lunch break is scheduled. What is hoped to be achieved is to have the patient feel as comfortable as possible so that optimal performance is assessed throughout testing.

All evaluations begin with a thorough interview. The interview is conducted either with the patient alone or also with a family member or friend, depending on the age of the patient and the reported cognitive complaints. Information such as family upbringing, education, employment, medical and psychiatric history, and substance use are discussed during interview. The patient and, in some cases, collateral sources are asked to fill out symptom questionnaires. Formal testing then follows.

The goal of neuropsychological assessment is to determine a person's current functioning in terms of general intellect, attention, memory, language functions, visuospatial skills, problem solving, fine motor functioning, and other thinking abilities. The goal of psychological assessment is to learn more about specific symptoms being experienced, changes in behavior and emotional functioning over time, and more longstanding personality characteristics. If necessary, physicians and mental health professionals who are current or previous providers also will be contacted to obtain information and records regarding status and treatment. 

All information is then combined to determine an individual's pattern of strengths and weaknesses, formulate diagnoses, and make treatment recommendations. The patient is then contacted for feedback of the results of testing, which is usually scheduled to be conducted in person. The exception to providing feedback is when the patient being seen was referred by a third party, such as an attorney or disability insurance company. In such instances, only the referring party will receive feedback directly.