Doing and reporting a neuropsychological assessment

Abstract

The process of neuropsychological assessment involves several stages. Having identified the objectives and analysed the characteristics of the participants to be tested the task is then to select appropriate tests and to administer, score and interpret them. The final stage involves writing the clinical or scientific report. The present paper begins with a brief overview of the history of neuropsychology and considers approaches to assessment and the main reference books on assessment. The most prestigious journals in the field are also listed. This is followed by a discussion of the most important aspects to be considered in each stage of clinical assessment or research, complemented by guidelines regarding the publication of neuropsychological assessments; mainly in relation to method - participants, assessment, statistical analysis - and results. This information is also presented in the form of a table in which a distinction is made between those aspects which are considered essential to include when writing a paper about neuropsychological assessment and those which are recommended.