Neuropsychological Assessment in Clinical Practice: A Guide to Test Interpretation and Integration
Neuropsychological Assessment in Clinical Practice Author of the bestselling Handbook of Psychological Assessment, Third Edition, Gary Groth-Mamat has organized his latest book, Neuropsychological Assessment in Clinical Practice, to address each step of the neuropsychological assessment process and examine the most frequently used tests in the field, including the WISC-III, WAIS-III, WMS III, Halstead-Reitan, Luria Nebraska, and additional tests organized according to various functional domains. Also covered here is the primary role of neuropsychological assessment-how it functions in providing answers related to differential diagnosis, patient care, treatment planning, rehabilitation, and legal proceedings. The neuropsychologist evaluates cerebral rather than psychiatric dysfunction associated with neurological disorders that can arise from substance abuse, stroke, head trauma, and exposure to neurotoxic substances. Neuropsychologists are also relied on more and more by the legal justice system to document the causes, nature, and severity of brain dysfunction in personal injury cases. The final portion of the book covers guidelines on inegrating neuropsychological assessments both into a treatment plan and a written, case-focused, problem solving report. In this book, the emphasis is on developing a working knowledge of the most frequently used neuropsychological procedures without losing sight of the person and content being evaluated. Dr. Groth-Marnat takes into account a wide variety of sources including history, behavioral observations, and medical records. The major portion of this book introduces, reviews, and provides interpretive guidelines on the most frequently used tests and test batteries in clinical neuropsychology. Most importantly, the book provides a systematic approach to tailoring client information around client management and rehabilitation planning to produce reports that are "person driven" rather than "test driven." Current trends in neuropsychology are also examined, including computerized test administration, emerging research, managed health care, and new legal challenges. Application rather than measurement, for example, is one change that has brought about more functionally relevant questions such as employability, responsiveness to rehabilitation, and the difference between impairment and disability. Neuropsychological Assessment in Clinical Practice brings together the leading experts in the field to provide a complete overview and explain the fundamental principles of neuropsychological assessment-how it has evolved over the past fifty years, and its role in psychology today.