San Diego BrainWorks

What to Expect

 

Neuropsychological Evaluation:

 

A comprehensive evaluation to identify an individual's cognitive strengths and weaknesses. This information is used to help inform diagnosis and whether other conditions may be contributing or better account for a client's difficulties, as well as provide important information to help guide an individualized treatment plan. A battery of tests is selected depending upon each clients needs and examines functioning in domains such as attention, executive functions (e.g., planning, problem solving, impulse control, organization skills) and memory. Depending on the nature of the presenting problems, personality assessment and/or semi-structured diagnostic interviews may be administered to help with diagnostic formulation and treatment planning. Furthermore, assessment of academic skills may be conducted in those cases where a client is suspected of having a learning disorder

 

The neuropsychological evaluation occurs over one to two sessions including an assessment session and a later feedback session. The evaluation session is of variable duration depending in part on the complexity of the client's background history and performance during the evaluation (usually 4 to 6 hours, including interview and neuropsychological testing).

 

During the feedback session, clients are provided with a comprehensive report along with face-to-face feedback to ensure that they fully understand the results of the evaluation. Recommendations are provided based on the evaluation results. These typically include suggested treatment approaches, compensatory strategies that the client may employ to maximize his or her level of functioning, recommendations for accommodations at school or work, and may include suggestions for further evaluation (e.g., neuroimaging, laboratory tests), in cases where some other contributors to the client's difficulties are suspected.

 

Our assessment team is happy to communicate the results of the assessments to any other treatment providers or to write a letter in advocacy for accommodations