Secondary Influences On Neuropsychological Test Performance

It has long been appreciated among clinical neuropsychologists that both primary and secondary factors contribute to cognitive dysfunction in neurological patients. Primary influences are the direct result of the extent and location of damage to the brain. Secondary influences stem from something associated with brain injury or disease besides the specific areas of the brain affected. For example, a patient with a neurological disease may develop depression, something which in turn often impacts cognitive functioning. Other secondary factors associated with disease besides depression can also negatively impact cognitive functioning, including anxiety, pain, fatigue, and motor impairments, to name a few. Despite the widespread appreciation of the importance of such secondary factors on cognitive functioning in clinical neuropsychology, there has never been a single source for this information that is readily available to clinicians and researchers. The present volume provides such a source, using an evidence-based framework comprised of two broad sections. The first section includes chapters that comprehensively address particular secondary influences, independent of any particular neurological disorder. For example, there are chapters on the impact on cognitive functioning of depression, anxiety, fatigue, pain, diagnosis threat, and symptom invalidity. The second section has chapters that focus on specific neurological conditions and the most salient secondary factors that need to be considered in these conditions. Multiple Sclerosis, HIV, Parkinson's Disease, Traumatic Brain Injury, Alzheimer's Disease/MCI/Stroke, and Epilepsy are all considered. The chapters include vivid case studies that illustrate the principles outlined in the chapters to help clinicians consider how such principles can apply to particular patients. Chapters also include evidence-based guidelines for clinical practice. The final chapter highlights some areas especially in need of further research and study that will be of particular interest and importance to clinicians.

This exciting new, evidence-based book provides clinicians with a single source for considering the impact of secondary factors on cognitive dysfunction in neurological patients. The influence on testing of depression, anxiety, fatigue, pain, diagnosis threat, and symptom invalidity are all considered in the context of particular neurological disorders.

Understanding Cross-Cultural Neuropsychology thoroughly examines the meaning of culture in the context of neuropsychology, focusing on the fundamental neuroscience underlying how different aspects of culture influence neuropsychological test performance, and how that is related to brain function. It explores in detail the relationship between brain activity and culture, and the influence of various cultural, educational, and linguistic factors on neuropsychological test performances across various cognitive domains. Written by leadings researchers in cross-cultural neuropsychology, the book first introduces the basic concepts in the field. It goes on to focus on the influence of cultural variables on specific domains of cognition, including perception, attention, memory, language, and executive functions. It also explores the implications of cross-cultural neuropsychology in practice, including a focus on test adaptation, the use of interpreters, the influence of acculturation, and the practice of neuropsychological rehabilitation in different cultural settings. This book is essential reading for neuropsychologists and related practitioners working with culturally diverse clients, who need a good grasp of the cultural impacts on neuropsychological test performance when assessing clients from different cultural, linguistic, and educational backgrounds. It is also valuable for neuropsychologists in countries around the world who need a means of understanding the ways in which their culture impacts the performances of their clients on tests, which have been mostly developed in the U.S. or other Western cultures.

This is the first book devoted to the topic of validity assessment in rehabilitation contexts and is written by two board certified psychologists with extensive experience in clinical neuropsychology and rehabilitation psychology. This book describes (a) why validity assessment is important, (b) validity assessment methods, and (c) special topics related to validity assessment in rehabilitation psychology (e.g., managing invalid presentations, mild traumatic brain injury, forensic and disability applications, ethical considerations). Although primarily intended for the rehabilitation psychologist who is new to the topic of validity assessment, this book is also designed to be helpful to other rehabilitation specialists, students and trainees, and psychologists experienced in validity assessment, including neuropsychologists.

Clinical neuropsychologists are increasingly involved in the evaluation of civil capacities and are in demand by other professionals, particularly attorneys and judges, to assist their decision-making about these sometimes complex issues. While there has been some neuropsychological research in this area, this has not been assembled into a single volume nor have practice recommendations been provided. This volume fills these gaps. The first part of this volume reviews and synthesizes the research literature on neuropsychological aspects of civil capacities. The specific capacities addressed include driving, financial and healthcare decision-making, testamentary (i.e., will-making) capacity, and personal care and independence. Each chapter addresses relevant background issues, conceptual/theoretical advances, and empirical findings. The chapters also include an illustrative case study that demonstrates how the authors (each expert in the various areas) evaluated and conceptualized the case. Each chapter is written from an evidence-based perspective and, where appropriate, uses research to inform practice recommendations. The second part of this volume provides recommendations to practitioners on how to conduct civil capacity evaluations that utilize neuropsychological assessment. There are chapters on an evaluative framework for the assessment, capacity test selection and psychometric issues, working with other data sources besides testing (e.g., collateral interviews), best practices in report-writing and testifying, as well as common ethical issues in such cases. Throughout, these chapters provide practical "how to" advice to improve neuropsychological practice and consulting in civil capacity cases. In addition to these chapters, there is a chapter written by legal consumers of psychological reports. This chapter offers a wealth of useful information and recommendations that, if followed, will further serve to advance psychological report-writing and consultation in civil capacity evaluations.

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.

The Compendium is an essential guidebook for selecting the right test for specific clinical situations and for helping clinicians make empirically supported test interpretations. BL Revised and updated BL Over 85 test reviews of well-known neuropsychological tests and scales for adults BL Includes tests of premorbid estimation, dementia screening, IQ, attention, executive functioning, memory, language, visuospatial skills, sensory function, motor skills, performance validity, and symptom validity BL Covers basic and advanced aspects of neuropsychological assessment including psychometric principles, reliability, test validity, and performance/symptom validity testing

A Compendium of Neuropsychological Tests, Fourth Edition is one of the most well-established reference texts in neuropsychology. This newly-revised, updated, and expanded fourth edition provides a comprehensive overview of essential aspects of neuropsychological practice along with 100 test reviews of well-known neuropsychological tests for adults. The aim of the Compendium is to provide a comprehensive yet practical overview of the state of the field while also summarizing the evidence on the theoretical background, norms, reliability, and validity of commonly-used neuropsychological tests. Based on extensive review of the clinical and research literature in neuropsychology, neurology, and related disciplines, its comprehensive critical reviews of common neuropsychological tests and standardized scales include tests for premorbid estimation, dementia screening, IQ, attention, executive functioning, memory, language, visuospatial skills, sensory function, motor skills, performance validity, and symptom validity. Tables within each test review summarize important features of each test, highlight aspects of each normative dataset, and provide an overview of psychometric properties. This essential reference text also covers basic and advanced aspects of neuropsychological assessment with chapters on psychometric concepts and principles, reliability in neuropsychology, theoretical models of test validity, and an overview of critical concepts pertaining to performance and symptom validity testing and malingering. Of interest to neuropsychologists, clinical psychologists, educational psychologists, neurologists, and psychiatrists as well as trainees in these areas, this volume will aid practitioners in gaining a deeper understanding of fundamental assessment concepts in neuropsychology while also serving as an essential guidebook for selecting the right test for specific clinical situations and for helping clinicians make empirically-supported test interpretations.