West Virginia Code of State Rules › Agency 85 - Workers' Compensation › Title 85 - PROCEDURAL RULE WORKERS' COMPENSATION RULES OF THE WEST VIRGINIA INSURANCE COMMISSIONER › Series 85-22 - Guidelines For Psychiatric Permanent Impairment, Evaluations, Evidence And Ratings Of Psychiatric Impairment Due To Workers' Compensation Injuries › Section 85-22-6 - Psychological Examination Guidelines

Current through Register Vol. XLI, No. 28, July 12, 2024
6.1. Purpose - The purpose of the
				psychological assessment is to obtain a current view of the claimant's
				emotional and cognitive functioning, interpersonal relationships and approach
				to tasks. Symptoms and behaviors must be sampled through interview techniques,
				checklists, and standardized psychological measurements. Long term personality
				traits and dysfunctions should be identified. Inferences should be made
				regarding motivation and dissimulation (faking). It is assumed that
				psychological assessments are" comprehensive and not limited to the
				presentation of psychometric data. Even when part of an interdisciplinary team,
				the psychologist retains responsibility for recommending additional evaluations
				and interventions by other health care professionals as deemed
				necessary.
6.2. Guidelines - The
				following are guidelines for psychologists to use when performing psychological
				evaluations for the Division of Workers' Compensation. It is assumed that all
				psychologists providing services for the Division of Workers' Compensation
				adhere to all relevant standards for practice as set forth by the American
				Psychological Association (Ethical Principles, Standards for Providers of
				Psychological Services, and Specialty Guidelines).
6.3. Initial evaluation:
a. Intelligence testing - During the initial
				evaluation, a standard intelligence test, such as the Wechsler Adult
				Intelligence Scale-Revised, should be administered. An intelligence screen
				should not be used during the initial evaluation. Behavioral observations of an
				individual in a structured testing environment is as important as the
				claimant's level of intellectual functioning. Therefore, such clinical
				observations should be provided. Also, all subtest scores as well as Verbal,
				Performance, and Full Scale IQ scores should be reported. This allows
				comparison of test results from one administration to another over
				time.
b. Achievement testing -
				Achievement testing, such as the Wide Range Achievement Test-Revised or the
				Peabody Individual Achievement Test, should be administered during the ..
				initial evaluation. Such tests are used to demonstrate that the claimant has
				the requisite reading skills to understand and reliably respond to objective
				measures of personality. They are also used to help determine whether the
				claimant might have a diagnosis of. Learning Disability for rehabilitation
				purposes.
c. Personality assessment
				- The type of personality instrument(s) to be used depends upon the claimant's
				intellectual capacities and reading level. Taped versions are acceptable when a
				claimant has an appropriate intellectual level but limited reading abilities.
				At a minimum, personality assessment should include tests that address not only
				acute and chronic symptoms of emotional disorders, but also longstanding
				personality characteristics. A- measure of dissimulation should be included in
				the evaluation, unless clinically contraindicated. For example, low
				intellectual functioning may preclude the administration of tests which provide
				a measure of dissimulation (eg., MMPI-2). Personality assessment may include
				objective/projective personality measures, symptom checklists, and other
				instruments that meet accepted professional standards. Psychologists should
				also report a summary of raw data from objective personality testing. For
				example, a copy of the MMPI-2 profile sheet or Welsh Code can be extremely
				helpful when other psychologists are comparing test results over
				time.
d. Neuropsychological screen
				- If a clinician wishes to address the issue of presence or absence of organic
				dysfunction in a claimant, then a neuropsychological screen is in order. If a
				screening is determined to be necessary, evaluate at a minimum, the following:
				attention and concentration, memory, judgment, language skills, and
				visual/spatial abilities.
e.
				Comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations - When sufficient information is
				indicated by the results of a neuropsychological screen or by the claimant's
				history, a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation consisting of accepted
				evaluation procedures should be used by a psychologist qualified and trained in
				neuropsychology. A psychologist qualified to interpret neuropsychological
				evaluations should document at least 500 hours of intensive training in
				administration and interpretation supervised by a qualified neuropsychologist.
Current " national standards for such supervising
				  neuropsychologists suggest either intensive graduate course work and practice
				  in assessment of brain function and extensive clinical supervision of such
				  clinical activities, or a graduate degree of psychology and two years of
				  full-time post-graduate supervised training in neuropsychology in a program
				  specifically designated for such training.
f. Integration of findings - A detailed
				report integrating all the data from observations, test responses and their
				interpretation, results of previous assessments and any other. relevant data
				such as school records, rehabilitation reports, and medical findings should be
				prepared. Address any inconsistencies noted between behavioral observations and
				test responses or previous assessments.