Neuropsychological Interpretation Of Objective Psychological Tests

The inter-comparison of specific skills as represented by performance on neu- psychological tests is at the heart of the neuropsychological assessment process. However, there is a tendency to regard the interpretation of single tests as a process that is independent of performance on other tests, with integration of test information representing a summary of these individual test performances. As neuropsychology has become increasingly sophisticated, it has been recognized that many factors influence the performance on any given test. The meaning of the same score may vary considerably from one person to another, depending on his or her performance on other neuropsychological tests. Thus, a low score on the Halstead Category Test may indeed reflect frontal lobe damage, but only if we first rule out the influence of visual-spatial problems, emotionality, attentional issues, motivation, fatigue, and comprehension of the instructions. Simplistic interpre- tions that assume a common interpretation based on a specific score will inva- ably lead to errors in interpretation and conclusions. The purpose of this book is to provide each test that is described with a compendium of the possible interpretations that can be used with a variety of common tests that are often included in a neuropsychological test battery. The first chapter discusses some of the pitfalls and cautions when comparing the tests, while the second chapter examines administrative and scoring issues that may be unclear or unavailable for a given test.

This updated edition (first was 1979) explores the areas of intellectual evaluation, achievement, personality, and organic brain dysfunction in the latest revisions of commonly used tests, including the MMPI, WAIS, 16 PF, The Alternate Tests of Intellectual Performance, and others. Annotation copyri

This book provides a comprehensive introduction to psychological assessment and covers areas not typically addressed in existing test and measurements texts, such as neuropsychological assessment and the use of tests in forensics settings. The book introduces the vocabulary of the profession and the most basic mathematics of testing early as being fundamental to understanding the field. Numerous examples are drawn from tests that the authors have written or otherwise helped to develop, reflecting the authors’ deep understanding of these tests and their familiarity with problems encountered in test development, use, and interpretation. Following the introduction of the basic areas of psychometrics, the book moves to areas of testing that represent various approaches to measuring different psychological constructs (memory, language, executive function, etc.), with emphasis on the complex issue of cultural bias in testing. Examples of existing tests are given throughout the book; however, this book is not designed to prepare students to go out and administer, score, and interpret specific psychological tests. Rather, the purpose of this book is to provide the foundational core of knowledge about tests, measurement, and assessment constructs, issues, and quantitative tools. Explains what constitutes a psychological test, how tests are developed, how they are best used, and how to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses; Describes areas of testing that represent different approaches to measuring different psychological constructs; Explains applications of psychological testing to issues in the courts; Addresses how test authors and publishers design and research tests to address the difficult and demanding issues of cultural differences in test performance and interpretation of test results.

Psychological testing or Psychological assessment is a field characterised by the use of samples of behaviour in order to infer generalisations about a given individual. By samples of behaviour, one means observations over time of an individual performing tasks that have usually been prescribed beforehand. These responses are often compiled into statistical tables that allow the evaluator to compare the behaviour of the individual being tested to the responses of a norm group. The broad categories of psychological evaluation tests include: Norm-referenced, IQ/achievement tests, Neuropsychological tests, Personality tests, Objective tests (Rating scale), Direct observation tests, Psychological evaluations using data mining. This book presents new and important research from around the world.

Psychological testing has grown exponentially as technological advances have permitted it to and societal complexities have necessitated its growth. Psychological testing or psychological assessment is a field characterised by the use of samples of behaviour in order to infer generalisations about a given individual. By samples of behaviour, one means observations over time of an individual performing tasks that have usually been prescribed beforehand. These responses are often compiled into statistical tables that allow the evaluator to compare the behaviour of the individual being tested to the responses of a norm group. The broad categories of psychological evaluation tests include: Norm-referenced, IQ/achievement tests, Neuropsychological tests, Personality tests, Objective tests (Rating scale), Direct observation tests, Psychological evaluations using data mining. New and important research is presented in this book.

In one volume, the leading researchers in intelligence and neuropsychological assessment interpret the range of issues related to intellectual and neuropsychological tests, including test development and psychometrics, clinical applications, ethical and legal concerns, use with diverse populations, computerization, and the latest research. Clinicians and researchers who use these instruments will find this volume invaluable, as it contains the most comprehensive and up-to-date information available on this important aspect of practice.

For the practicing neuropsychologist or researcher, keeping up with the sheer number of newly published or updated tests is a challenge, as is evaluating the utility and psychometric properties of neuropsychological tests in a clinical context. The goal of the third edition of A Compendium of Neuropsychological Tests, a well-established neuropsychology reference text, is twofold. First, the Compendium is intended to serve as a guidebook that provides a comprehensive overview of the essential aspects of neuropsychological assessment practice. Second, it is intended as a comprehensive sourcebook of critical reviews of major neuropsychological assessment tools for the use by practicing clinicians and researchers. Written in a comprehensive, easy-to-read reference format, and based on exhaustive review of research literature in neuropsychology, neurology, psychology, and related disciplines, the book covers topics such as basic aspects of neuropsychological assessment as well as the theoretical background, norms, and the utility, reliability, and validity of neuropsychological tests. For this third edition, all chapters have been extensively revised and updated. The text has been considerably expanded to provide a comprehensive yet practical overview of the state of the field. Two new chapters have been added: "Psychometrics in Neuropsychological Assessment" and "Norms in Psychological Assessment." The first two chapters present basic psychometric concepts and principles. Chapters three and four consider practical aspects of the history-taking interview and the assessment process itself. Chapter five provides guidelines on report-writing and chapters six through sixteen consist of detailed, critical reviews of neuropsychological tests, and address the topics of intelligence, achievement, executive function, attention, memory, language, visual perception, somatosensory olfactory function, mood/personality, and response bias. A unique feature is the inclusion of tables that summarize salient features of tests within each domain so that readers can easily compare measures. Additional tables within each test review summarize important features of each test, highlight aspects of each normative dataset, and provide an overview of psychometric properties. Of interest to neuropsychologists, neurologists, psychiatrists, and educational and clinical psychologists working with adults as well as pediatric populations, this volume will aid practitioners in selecting appropriate testing measures for their patients, and will provide them with the knowledge needed to make empirically supported interpretations of test results.