A neuropsychological evaluation is a complete testing battery that is personalized to assess individual cognitive function. In most cases, clients are referred to us for neuropsychological testing by a physician or counselor, so our assessment will address the specific referral questions as well as creating a complete picture of an individual’s cognitive skills, development, and processes, including a client’s:
- Attention
- Problem-solving
- Memory
- Motor skills
- Processing speed
- Language abilities
- Verbal and non-verbal reasoning
- Executive functioning (ability to manage self and skills needed to achieve goals)
- Sensory functioning (ability to manage signals taken in through the senses and respond appropriately)
- Emotional functioning (ability to manage emotive responses like fear, sadness, and excitement)
Once the the neuropsychological testing is complete, will we offer a report that gives clients and their referring physicians (when necessary) a snapshot of current functioning, including cognitive strengths and struggles. As part of our neuropsychological evaluation report, the testing clinician will offer recommendations for ongoing support or treatment. These reports are a great problem-solving tool for clients who are struggling to meet challenges in personal, professional, and educational settings.
Who Should Receive Neuropsychological Evaluation?
In most cases, clients come to us for neuropsychological evaluation as a referral from a physician or counselor, but people may elect to receive testing for a range of reasons. These noninvasive evaluations are comprehensive, and they give you the ability to understand the genesis of specific problems affecting the brain and a client’s ability to perform tasks. Neuropsychological assessment may be recommended in a number of situations, including:
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Seizure disorders
- Tumors
- Medical or emotional conditions impacting cognitive processes
What Kind of Testing is Involved?
Each neuropsychological testing battery is completely customized to your unique needs and no two evaluations will be the same. These assessments are designed to find the limitations of a client’s cognitive function. This can make the testing process frustrating, but it’s essential to push the boundaries of our client’s abilities. We want an accurate picture of a client’s strengths and struggles to best help them find success in all situations. A client’s neuropsychological assessment battery may include a range of performance tasks administered using a traditional pen and paper evaluation or on computer. Testing may address function in the following areas:
- Intelligence and/or cognition
- Academic ability
- Verbal and visual learning and memory
- Language processing
- Visual-spatial processing
- Attention and concentration
- Executive functioning (planning, organization, inhibition, flexibility)
- Sensory functioning (understanding and responding to signals from our senses)
- Emotional functioning (controlling and properly responding to emotions)
- Processing speed
- Personality
- Social skills
After testing is completed, we provide a report of our findings as well as practical recommendations to help clients maximize any treatment plan they’re receiving and improve upon their strengths. We can also provide support if clients have questions or need our help understanding assessment results. If you would like to schedule a neuropsychological testing appointment in Fort Collins, CO, contact us.