The short answer is a measure of a person’s brain functioning. To better understand what this means, however, the why, how, when and where of a neuropsychological evaluation also needs some explaining.

Some reasons why a person might need a neuropsychological evaluation include developmental delays (i.e., in walking, talking, reading or writing), head injuries (e.g., from automobile accidents, sports or abuse), medical events (such as a stroke, tumor or seizures), exposure to poisons (e.g., carbon monoxide, lead, mercury), oxygen deprivation (e.g., as a result of cardiac arrest), noticeable behavior problems (e.g., a child’s difficulty remaining on task at school or an adult’s increasing difficulty recalling names of objects and people, confusion, or getting lost while driving).

A neuropsychological evaluation is performed in a psychologist’s office. A psychologist with special training in neuropsychology will choose a series of tests based on the person’s presenting concern and history. He or she may ask the person many questions, have them copy drawings, remember words, or time them performing other tasks. The amount of time spent testing a person will depend on the number of tests chosen, but usually ranges between six and eight hours of face-to-face interaction which can be completed over several testing sessions.

Physicians, therapists or school professionals recommend this type of testing when medical tests, therapy or school interventions do not fully explain a person’s behavior or there is concern about brain functioning. A full medical exam prior to neuropsychological testing is very helpful as many contributing causes to a person’s difficulties can be readily identified by their physician (e.g., vitamin and metabolite deficiencies, medication side-effects, hearing impairment). The results of a neuropsychological evaluation can be very helpful to better understand the difficulties a child or adult is experiencing. Based on that understanding, recommendations are given to help the individual improve their abilities and/or to find ways to compensate for their difficulties.

The Samaritan Counseling Center’s Beth A. Mull, Psy.D., a licensed psychologist, conducts comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations. In addition to her doctoral degree in clinical psychology, she completed a fellowship in neuropsychology through the Samaritan Counseling Center and Hershey Medical Center. She works with children and adults and welcomes any questions at 717-560-9969, ext. 243.