Chapter 8.Neuropsychological Assessment

Patients may be referred for neuropsychological assessment after a traumatic brain injury (TBI) for a number of reasons and at a number of different points in the recovery process. Specific referral questions differ on the basis of the setting in which an individual is seen as well as the cognitive status of the patient. Neuropsychological evaluation can be used to assist in differential diagnosis, to provide evidence of brain dysfunction, to describe the nature and severity of problems, and to drive treatment and recommendations for community reintegration. Other common uses for neuropsychological assessment include screenings, research, and forensic evaluations (Schoenberg et al. 2013). The assessment techniques used should be appropriate to the level of recovery, tailored to the evaluative needs of health care/rehabilitation providers working with the patient, and informative with respect to treatment planning. Additionally, in cases of TBI, the questions to be answered focus less on “What is it?” and more on “How does it present?” and “What do we do now (or next)?” This moves clinicians toward a functional or applied approach to neuropsychological assessment.