Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Neuropsychological Testing

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Handbook of Childhood Psychopathology and Developmental Disabilities Assessment

Part of the book series: Autism and Child Psychopathology Series ((ACPS))

  • 2279 Accesses

Abstract

Neuropsychological assessment is regularly used in the diagnostic assessment of neurodevelopmental disorders but can also yield information on cognitive functioning across many other types of childhood psychopathology. For example, children with major depressive disorder have been found to have reductions in executive functioning, verbal memory, and sustained attention. This chapter describes popular measures used in the neuropsychological assessment of children. The assessment of children and adolescents includes tests developed specifically to assess children and adolescents and modified versions of measures originally developed for adults. Skills within domains of functioning are described, and the content of popular neuropsychological assessment measures used in the assessment of noncredible responding, intellectual functioning, academic achievement, learning and memory, attention, executive functioning, and visuospatial and visuoconstruction functioning is reviewed. The pattern of cognitive strengths and weaknesses derived from a neuropsychological assessment can be used as one source of information for intervention planning. We conclude with suggestions on how to best provide feedback and recommendations to youth and their parents/caregivers.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 219.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 279.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 279.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • American Psychological Association Council of Representatives (1996, reapproved. 2003). Archival Description of Clinical Neuropsychology. Retrieved from https://www.scn40.org/

  • Baker, D. A., & Kirkwood, M. W. (2015). Motivations behind noncredible presentations: Why children feign and how to make this determination. In M. W. Kirkwood (Ed.), Validity testing in child and adolescent assessment evaluating exaggeration, feigning, and noncredible effort. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barkley, R. (2014). Psychological assessment of children with ADHD. In R. A. Barkley (Ed.), Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A handbook for diagnosis and treatment. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baron, I. S. (2004). Neuropsychological evaluation of the child. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Army Individual Test Battery. (1944). Manual of directions and scoring. Washington, DC: War Department, Adjutant General’s Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beery, K. E., Buktenica, N. A., & Beery, N. A. (2010). The beery-Buktenica developmental test of visual motor integration (6th ed.). Bloomington, MN: Pearson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Benton, A. L., Varney, N. R., & Hamsher, K. D. (1978). Visuospatial judgment: A clinical test. Archives of Neurology, 35, 364–367.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Broadbent, D. E. (1958). Perception and communication. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, J. (1958). Some tests of the decay of immediate memory. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 10, 12–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brydges, C. R., Fox, A. M., Reid, C. L., & Anderson, M. (2014). The differentiation of executive functions in middle and late childhood: A longitudinal latent-variable analysis. Intelligence, 47, 34–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intell.2014.08.010

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, M. J. (1997). Children’s memory scale. San Antonio, TX: The Psychological Corporation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Conners, C. K., & Staff, M. H. S. (Eds.). (2015a). Conners’ continuous auditory test of attention III: Computer program for windows technical guide and software manual. North Tonawanda, NY: Multi-Health Systems.

    Google Scholar 

  • Conners, C. K., & Staff, M. H. S. (Eds.). (2015b). Conners’ continuous performance test III: Computer program for windows technical guide and software manual. North Tonawanda, NY: Multi-Health Systems.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crawford, J. R., Sutherland, D., & Garthwaite, P. H. (2008). On the reliability and standard errors of measurement of contrast measures from the D-KEFS. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 14, 1069–1073. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1355617708081228

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • D’Elia, L. F., Satz, P., Uchiyama, C. L., & White, T. (1996). Color trails test. Odessa, FL: PAR.

    Google Scholar 

  • Delis, D. C., Kaplan, E., & Kramer, J. H. (2001). Delis-Kaplan executive function system (D-KEFS). New York, NY: Psychological Corporation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Delis, D. C., Kramer, J. H., Kaplan, E., & Ober, B. A. (1994). Manual for the California verbal learning test for children. New York, NY: Psychological Corporation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dyche, G. M., & Johnson, D. A. (1991). Development and evaluation of CHIPASAT, an attention test for children: II. Test-retest reliability and practice effect for a normal sample. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 72, 563–572.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fallows, R. R., & Hilsabeck, R. C. (2013). Comparing two methods of delivering neuropsychological feedback. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 28, 180–188. https://doi.org/10.1093/arclin/acs142

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fan, J., McCandliss, B. D., Sommer, T., Raz, A., & Posner, M. I. (2002). Testing the efficiency and independence of attentional networks. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 14(3), 340–347.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fernandez-Duque, D., & Posner, M. I. (1997). Relating the mechanisms of orienting and alerting. Neuropsychologia, 35, 477–486.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fletcher, J. M., & Miciak, J. (2017). Comprehensive cognitive assessments are not necessary for the identification and treatment of learning disabilities. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 32, 2–7. https://doi.org/10.1093/arclin/acw103

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Friedman, N. P., Miyake, A., Young, S. E., DeFries, J. C., Corley, R. P., & Hewitt, J. K. (2008). Individual differences in executive functions are almost entirely genetic in origin. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 137(2), 201.

    Google Scholar 

  • Friedman, N. P., & Miyake, A. (2016). Unity and diversity of executive functions: Individual differences as a window on cognitive structure. Cortex, 86, 186–204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2016.04.023

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Gathercole, S. E., Pickering, S. J., Knight, C., & Stegmann, Z. (2004). Working memory skills and educational attainment: Evidence from national curriculum assessments at 7 and 14 years of age. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 18, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.934

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greenaway, M. C., Hanna, S. M., Lepore, S. W., & Smith, G. E. (2008). A behavioral rehabilitation intervention for amnestic mild cognitive impairment. American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias, 23, 451–461. https://doi.org/10.1177/1533317508320352

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Heaton, R. K., Chelune, G. J., Talley, J. L., Kay, G. G., & Curtis, G. (1993). Wisconsin card sorting test (WCST) manual, revised and expanded. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang-Pollock, C., Shapiro, Z., Galloway-Long, H., & Weigard, A. (2016). Is poor working memory a Transdiagnostic risk factor for psychopathology? Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-016-0219-8 Advance Online Publication.

  • Itti, L., & Koch, C. (2001). Computational modelling of visual attention. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 2, 194–203.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kirkwood, M. W. (2015a). A rationale for performance validity testing in child and adolescent assessment. In M. W. Kirkwood (Ed.), Validity testing in child and adolescent assessment evaluating exaggeration, feigning, and noncredible effort. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirkwood, M. W. (2015b). Review of pediatric performance and symptom validity tests. In M. W. Kirkwood (Ed.), Validity testing in child and adolescent assessment evaluating exaggeration, feigning, and noncredible effort. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klin, A., Saulnier, C., Tsatsanis, K., & Volkmar, F. R. (2005). Clinical evaluation in autism Spectrum disorders: Psychological assessment within a transdisciplinary framework. In F. R. Volkmar, R. Paul, A. Klin, & D. Cohen (Eds.), Handbook of autism and pervasive developmental disorders (Vol. 2, 3rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lamar, M., & Raz, A. (2007). Neuropsychological assessment of attention and executive functioning. Cambridge handbook of psychology, health, and medicine. 2nd ed, 290–294.

    Google Scholar 

  • Larrabee, G. J. (2014). Test Validity and Performance Validity: Considerations in Providing a Framework for Development of an Ability-Focused Neuropsychological Test Battery. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 29(7), 695–714.

    Google Scholar 

  • Latzman, R. D., & Markon, K. E. (2010). The factor structure and age-related factorial invariance of the delis–Kaplan executive function system (D-KEFS). Assessment, 17, 172–184. https://doi.org/10.1177/1073191109356254

  • Lezak, M. D., Howieson, D. B., & Loring, D. W. (2004). The behavioral geography of the brain. Neuropsychological Assessment, 4, 39–85.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lezak, M. D., Howieson, D. B., Loring, D. W., Hannay, H. J., & Fischer, J. S. (2004). Neuropsychological Assessment 4th edition Oxford University Press. New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Llorente, A. M., Williams, J., Satz, P., & D’Elia, L. F. (2003). Children’s color trails test (CCTT). Odessa, FL: PAR.

    Google Scholar 

  • Luna, B., Garver, K. E., Urban, T. A., Lazar, N. A., & Sweeney, J. A. (2004). Maturation of cognitive processes from late childhood to adulthood. Child Development, 75, 1357–1372.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luna, B., Thulborn, K. R., Munoz, D. P., Merriam, E. P., Garver, K. E., Minshew, N. J., … Sweeney, J. A. (2001). Maturation of widely distributed brain function subserves cognitive development. NeuroImage, 13, 786–793.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Manly, T., Robertson, I. H., Anderson, V., & Nimmo-Smith, I. (2001). TEA-Ch: The test of everyday attention for children. Bury St. Edmunds, UK: Thames Valley Test Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mayes, S. D., & Calhoun, S. L. (2006). WISC-IV and WISC-III profiles in children with ADHD. Journal of Attention Disorders, 9, 486–493. https://doi.org/10.1177/1087054705283616

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McGrew, K. S. (2009). CHC theory and the human cognitive abilities project: Standing on the shoulders of the giants of psychometric intelligence research. Intelligence, 37, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intell.2008.08.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meth, M., Calamia, M., & Tranel, D. (2016). Does a simple intervention enhance memory and adherence for neuropsychological recommendations? Applied Neuropsychology: Adult. https://doi.org/10.1080/23279095.2014.996881

  • Miyake, A., Friedman, N. P., Emerson, M. J., Witzki, A. H., Howerter, A., & Wager, T. D. (2000). The unity and diversity of executive functions and their contributions to complex “frontal lobe” tasks: A latent variable analysis. Cognitive Psychology, 41(1), 49–100.

    Google Scholar 

  • National Center for Education Statistics. (1984). Quality of responses of high school students to questionnaire items. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Flahavan, J., Gambrell, L. B., Guthrie, J., Stahl, S., Baumann, J., & Alvermann, D. (1992). Poll results guide activities of research center. Reading Today, 10, 12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Osterrieth, P. A. (1944). The test of copying a complex figure: A contribution to the study of perception and memory. Archives de Psychologie, 30, 286–356.

    Google Scholar 

  • Paniak, C. E., Millar, H. B., Murphy, D., & Keizer, J. (1997). A consonant trigrams test for children: Development and norms. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 11, 198–200. https://doi.org/10.1093/arclin/11.5.431a

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pennington, B. F., & Ozonoff, S. (1996). Executive functions and developmental psychopathology. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 37, 51–87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peterson, E., & Peterson, R. L. (2015). A understanding deception from a developmental perspective. In M. W. Kirkwood (Ed.), Validity testing in child and adolescent assessment evaluating exaggeration, feigning, and noncredible effort. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peterson, L., & Peterson, M. J. (1959). Short-term retention of individual verbal items. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 58, 193.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rabin, L. A., Paolillo, E., & Barr, W. B. (2016). Stability in test-usage practices of clinical neuropsychologists in the United States and Canada over a 10-year period: A follow-up survey of INS and NAN members. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 31, 206–230. https://doi.org/10.1093/arclin/acw007

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Raz, A. (2004). Anatomy of attentional networks. In The anatomical record part B: The new anatomist (Vol. 281, pp. 21–36).

    Google Scholar 

  • Roid, G. H. (2003). Stanford-Binet intelligence scales, fifth edition. Itasca, IL: Riverside Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruff, R. M. (2003). A friendly critique of neuropsychology: Facing the challenges of our future. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 18, 847–864. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acn.2003.07.002

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schacter, D. L., Wagner, A. D., & Buckner, R. L. (2000). Memory systems of 1999. In E. Tulving & F. I. M. Craik (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of memory. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scherf, K. S., Sweeney, J. A., & Luna, B. (2006). Brain basis of developmental change in visuospatial working memory. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 18, 1045–1058.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schneider, J. W., & Kaufman, A. S. (2017). Let's not do away with comprehensive cognitive assessments just yet. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 32, 8–20. https://doi.org/10.1093/arclin/acw104

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schrank, F. A., Mather, N., & McGrew, K. S. (2014). Woodcock-Johnson IV tests of achievement. Rolling Meadows, IL: Riverside.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sherman, E. M. S., & Brooks, B. L. (2015a). Child and adolescent memory profile (ChAMP). Lutz, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sherman, E. M. S., & Brooks, B. L. (2015b). Memory validity profile. Lutz, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sheslow, D., & Adams, W. (2003). Wide range assessment of memory and learning, second edition. Lutz, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shin, M. S., Choi, H., Kim, H., Hwang, J. W., Kim, B. N., & Cho, S. C. (2008). A study of neuropsychological deficit in children with obsessive-compulsive disorder. European Psychiatry, 23, 512–520. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eurpsy.2008.03.010

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sotelo-Dynega, M., & Dixon, S. G. (2014). Cognitive assessment practices: A survey of school psychologists. Psychology in the Schools, 51, 1031–1045. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.21802

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Squire, L. R. (1987). Memory and brain. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Suhr, J. (2015). Psychological assessment: A problem solving approach. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sweet, J. J., Benson, L. M., Nelson, N. W., & Moberg, P. J. (2015). The American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology, National Academy of Neuropsychology, and Society for Clinical Neuropsychology (APA Division 40) 2015 TCN professional practice and ‘salary survey’: Professional practices, beliefs, and incomes of US neuropsychologists. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 29, 1069–1162. https://doi.org/10.1080/13854046.2016.1140228

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tharinger, D. J., & Pilgrim, S. (2012). Parent and child experiences of neuropsychological assessment as a function of child feedback by individualized fable. Child Neuropsychology, 18, 228–241. https://doi.org/10.1080/09297049.2011.595708

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tulving, E. (2000). Concepts of memory. The Oxford handbook of memory, 33–43.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tulving, E. (2002). Episodic memory: From mind to brain. Annual Review of Psychology, 53, 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.53.100901.135114

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wagner, S., Müller, C., Helmreich, I., Huss, M., & Tadić, A. (2015). A meta-analysis of cognitive functions in children and adolescents with major depressive disorder. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 24, 5–19. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-014-0559-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wechsler, D. (2014). Wechsler intelligence scale for children (5th ed.). San Antonio, TX: Pearson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Westervelt, H. J., Brown, L. B., Tremont, G., Javorsky, D. J., & Stern, R. A. (2007). Patient and family perceptions of the neuropsychological evaluation: How are we doing? The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 21, 263–273. https://doi.org/10.1080/13854040500519745

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wiebe, S. A., Sheffield, T., Nelson, J. M., Clark, C. A., Chevalier, N., & Espy, K. A. (2011). The structure of executive function in 3-year-olds. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 108, 436–452. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2010.08.008

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wolfe, J. M., Horowitz, T. S., Kenner, N., Hyle, M., & Vasan, N. (2004). How fast can you change your mind? The speed of top-down guidance in visual search. Vision Research, 44, 1411–1426.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA

    Peter J. Castagna

  2. Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA

    Matthew Calamia

Authors
  1. Peter J. Castagna
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Matthew Calamia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Peter J. Castagna .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA

    Johnny L. Matson

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Castagna, P.J., Calamia, M. (2018). Neuropsychological Testing. In: Matson, J. (eds) Handbook of Childhood Psychopathology and Developmental Disabilities Assessment . Autism and Child Psychopathology Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93542-3_7

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation