Health and Psychology

I teach psychological and neuropsychological assessment and train other psychologists and neuropsychologists in the use of assessment techniques.

Psychological assessment involves the use of standardized psychological test instruments as well as screening measures, surveys, questionnaires, and observations to evaluate psychological functioning of an individual in a variety of areas.  The more common types of psychological assessment are for general intellectual or cognitive functioning, evaluation for learning disorders, evaluation for psychological conditions, and evaluation for functional status. 

Psychological assessment can be performed by a variety of professionals including school psychologists, physicians, counselors, tutors, as well as psychologists.  Psychologists have specific training in understanding tests and measurements, research, statistics, test selection, assessment and report writing.

While some psychological testing involves the use of a single instrument or questionnaire, the majority of psychologists use multiple measures to form a battery of psychological tests.  This allows for a degree of redundancy in evaluating the person and an opportunity to see various aspects of how the person functions.

Neuropsychology involves the evalation of the cortical functioning of the brain of an individual.  Inferences can be made into subcortical functioning.  Neuropsychological assessment usually is a highly complex evaluation which can last over several days, consist of many tests and instruments, and take as few as a couple of hours and as many as 20 or more hours of evaluation.  The neuropsychologist must be aware of how the brain works, a variety of medical, psychiatric and neuropsychological conditions and a variety of conditions that can impact brain functioning.

My work tends to involve complex psychological and neuropsychological assessment.  I have access to about 300 or so psychological test instruments, surveys, questionnaires, checklists, and computerized assessment instruments.  The selection of which instruments to use, in which order, and how to pace the evaluation are part of what I train other licensed professionals to do.  There are complex decision trees on test selection.

By far, the most ccommon neuropsychological evaluation I perform is for evaluation of brain injury due to head trauma.  Every year there are several hundred thousand people who end up in hospitals following an accident.  These people account for just a small amount of people who end up having symptoms from head injury.  For example, yesterday from the window of my office I witnessed a car hit a bicyclist.  The teen on the bike was in a crosswalk when he was struck by the car.  He fell off his bike hitting his head on the street.  He got to his feet, yelled at the car driver, took his bike and peddled away.  There were no police involved in the incident.  He didn't go to the hospital as a result of the incident.  He may not have had a brain injury.  But he might have.  If he starts getting some unusual headaches in the next few weeks, has difficulty doing some things he used to be able to do easily or if other people start to complain that he is somehow "different" then he might benefit from a neuropsychological assessment.  Often people in similar situations never realize they have had a brain injury.  They may notice they are somewhat different in weeks or even months post injury, but they can't relate the differences to the injury because they didn't think anything had happened.

If you think you may have had a brain injury, feel free to contact me to set up an initial consultation.