Neuropsychological Assessment Flashcards
What does neuropsychological assessment contribute?
- Provides knowledge which links anatomy with behavioral functions
- Knowledge enables assessment
- Accurate assessment is NB
3 typical types of patients
- With brain damage
- At risk for BD
- Suspected BD (but CT/MRI not showing damage)
What is the assessment procedure?
- Referrals
- History
- Testing
- Reports
What are typical questions of a referral?
What deficits were caused? Describe impairment Demented or depressed? Normal aging or dementing process? Can they return to work?
What is the psychometric criteria for testing?
- Standardization
- Reliability
- Validity
- Sensitivity
- Specificity
What is a type I and type II error?
Type I: measured is T but reality is F (F+)
Type II: measured is F but reality is T (F-)
What are different types of patient history?
Medical
Collateral
Patient subjective
What are examples of a fixed battery test?
Halstead-Reitan
Luria-Nebraska
What are the pros and cons of a fixed battery test?
+ all abilities tested, good for beginners (but interp. is an issue), obj. interp. based on normative data
- expensive, too long to administer to in-patients
- tests only as good as their standardization
- scores may not reflect a single cognitive process
What are the pros and cons of the process approach?
+ individuality, good in clinical evaluation, saves time by focusing on NB deficits, involves interaction
+ emphasises HOW patient fails test
+ non-standardised administration
- not useful in large-scale research, difficultly training, clinician bias
What is the difference between fixed-battery approach and the process approach?
FBA: - long administration time
- all tests given to ALL patients (no deviations allowed)
- evaluates all major skills
PA: - tend to use in SA
- varies in time and tests selected
- tailored assessment based on knowledge of pathology, history and referral q
Who does badly in Orientation tests?
Lowered state of consciousness or in confused/delirious state
What should be tested up-front?
Attention, because it is the ‘gate-keeper’
What does the Rey Complex figure test for?
- Visuoconstructional problems
- Neglect
- Executive problems
- Visuospatial memory
What are the 6 components of language?
reading writing repetition production naming comprehension