Frequently Asked Questions
When does someone need to be assessed or tested?
When an individual's behaviors cause social, academic, or occupational dysfunction a neuropsychological assessment can determine whether cognitive or psychological disorders are the cause and what type of treatment is indicated.
Neurologists, psychiatrists, attorneys, and other professionals often request neuropsychological assessments to clarify diagnostic questions or document the presence of cognitive impairments.
Other reasons for assessment include diagnosis of developmental delays, identification of learning disorders, and documentation of cognitive disability or neurodegenerative disorders such as dementias.
Is assessment the same with children and adolescents as it is with adults?
Neuropsychological assessment of children and adolescents is different from and often more complicated than assessment of adults. There are rapid developmental changes in neurocognitive functioning during childhood and adolescence that require even more specialized training and knowledge. Regardless of the type of assessment or the age of the patient, neuropsychologists use valid and reliable measures to determine cognitive, psychological, and adaptive functioning.
Factors that impact the interpretation of test results include, but are not limited to, ethnicity, culture, language use, age, education, medical conditions, previous head injuries, medications, psychological health, and sometimes gender. Qualified and ethical neuropsychologists are knowledgeable about and sensitive to these individual differences and consider them when making diagnostic conclusions.
How long does testing or assessment take?
The referral question determines the length of the assessment. A comprehensive assessment can take between one and two days, depending on the capacity of the patient to tolerate the demands of testing and other related issues.
What is covered in a neuropsychological evaluation?
A thorough medical, developmental, and academic achievement history, review of prior medical or academic records, collateral interviews as indicated (i.e., parents, teachers, family members), test administration, scoring and interpretation, a written report including diagnosis and treatment or service recommendations, and a personal debriefing if the evaluation is not forensic in nature or requested by a third party.
Psychological and neuropsychological tests are primarily pencil and paper tests. The examiner may ask a patient to answer questions, solve different kinds of problems, learn new information, and so forth. Sometimes a patient will be asked to demonstrate fine motor dexterity, or draw shapes. No physically invasive procedures are involved.
Who conducts the testing?
Dr. Goldberg conducts all of the neuropsychological evaluations.
When will I get my results?
A verbal debriefing of the process and results is scheduled after testing is completed unless the assessment is being conducted as part of a forensic evaluation.
During the debriefing, Dr. Goldberg will explain the results of the testing, answer your questions, and discuss treatment and service recommendations with you. A written report will then be completed and forwarded to you and/or the referring party or physician, based on the type of evaluation that was conducted. Reports for family and patients are written in understandable language.
Third party requested evaluation reports (e.g., forensic, court-ordered, and medical-legal) are provided only to the referring party.
Who else will receive the report?
Evaluation reports are provided to the referring party (e.g., physicians or attorneys). Reports are not released to other parties without proper authorization by the patient.
May I see the raw test data?
Psychological and neuropsychological test materials are copyrighted and protected by publishers to preserve the integrity of the measures, ensure the validity of their administration, and utility and reliability of results. Only professionals who are especially trained to administer these tests and to properly interpret results have access to raw data and test materials.
Do you accept insurance?
All fees are due and payable at time of service. No insurance is accepted. If patients wish to file a claim for reimbursement with their insurance companies after paying for services, they must specifically request documentation that will meet the requirements of their insurance company, which may include a description of the services provided, dates of evaluations, procedure codes, lists of tests administered (if applicable), and diagnosis.
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