Neuropsychology & Educational and Developmental Assessments in Brisbane

In short:

• A Clinical Psychologist is someone who assesses and treats a range of emotional, relationship or mental health issues.
• A Neuropsychologist is someone who conducts cognitive assessments of individuals following brain injury, to determine their level of functioning and answer questions about their capacity to return to various roles. A Neuropsychologist might also conduct therapy to assist those with a brain injury to recover.

Clinical Psychologists

A Clinical Psychologist is a professional who has received advanced training in psychology at either a Masters or Doctoral level. They would have also received endorsement from the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency to enable them to use the title of Clinical Psychologist. A Clinical Psychologist would have studied the research surrounding mental health conditions and understand theoretical models of how such problems operate. They would have also learnt various treatment methods for how to help their clients manage these emotional and mental health issues. The type of treatment methods used might vary from Psychologist to Psychologist, depending on their training and interest. Experienced Clinical Psychologists will have training in a range of therapeutic techniques so that they can tailor the treatment to the client’s particular needs.

Clinical Neuropsychologists

A Clinical Neuropsychologist is also someone who has completed advanced training in the brain and brain injury at either the Masters or Doctoral level. They also would have received endorsement from the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency to enable them to use the title of Clinical Neuropsychologist. They will have studied how the brain works, and how various injuries or insults to the brain may result in changes in the individual’s functioning.

A large part of a Clinical Neuropsychologist’s work is conducting cognitive assessments of brain function. Cognitive assessments involve the provision of various tasks/tests that aim to measure underlying brain function. The Clinical Neuropsychologist will use this information to answer various questions, such as whether the client can return to work. Some Clinical Neuropsychologists might have also studied how to provide rehabilitation services to clients to enable them to overcome difficulties experienced as a result of their brain damage. This might involve support the client to better understand their brain injury, adjust to the changes that their injury has caused to their life, and learn strategies to manage the cognitive changes, such as memory and organizational strategies.

Some professionals might be registered as both a Clinical Psychologist and Neuropsychologist, and such professionals will be able to provide a well-rounded approach to managing both mental health issues and cognitive issues.

A Neuropsychological assessment is often used to answer a specific referral question. The following types of people might make a referral for a Neuropsychological assessment or treatment:

• The individual or family member;
• A Health Professional (e.g. General Practitioner, Occupational Therapist, Speech Therapist, Psychiatrist, Neurologist, or Paediatrician);
• Employment Services (e.g. WorkCover, Commonwealth Rehabilitation Services, or an employer);
• Educational Professional (e.g. Guidance Counsellor);
• Legal Professional (e.g. Solicitor);
• Disabilities Services or Agencies; or
• Child Protection Services (Department of Communities).

An example of some of the presenting problems and the types of questions that might be asked include the following:

A Neuropsychologist is trained to use a range of psychometric tests to examine an individual’s cognitive functioning. Cognitive areas that are typically assessed include the following:

• Intelligence & Reasoning
• Verbal and Non-Verbal Skills
• Attention, Concentration & Working Memory
• Information Processing Speed
• Memory and Learning
• And Executive Functioning skills (including Planning, Organisation, Abstract Thinking, Multi-tasking, Sequencing, Self-monitoring, and Fluency of Thought etc.).

An individual’s test results are then compared with their peers to determine whether the person is performing at age-appropriate levels. Certain tests might also be used to determine if a person is performing at a level that is consistent with their pre-existing level of functioning.

Once this assessment is completed the Neuropsychologist writes a report which summarises the results and provides feedback to the individual and their support people. The Neuropsychologist might also answer any particular questions that the person or referrer has about the meaning of the results (e.g. Will I be able to return to work soon? What is the likelihood my memory will improve? Has this person suffered a brain injury?).

Some Neuropsychologists are also trained in the provision of Neuropsychological Rehabilitation. This is the name given to the treatment of cognitive problems, and might involve training the individual in the use of internal or external strategies to assist them to overcome or manage their cognitive difficulties.

A neuropsychological assessment typically involves an initial interview in our Brisbane offices where the individual’s current difficulties and background are explored. Following this, the client participates in testing that lasts between two and four hours depending on the referral question. The exact tests employed are likely to change from case to case, but might include tasks such as being asked to put blocks together to make designs, giving the meanings of words, remembering lists of words, or completing various visual puzzles.

The assessment might also involve reviewing documents relating to the individual such as medical or educational reports. An interview with a family member or health professional might also be useful.

After the assessment is complete a report is produced. The report generally covers all the information gained through the interview and assessment with a summary of the person’s cognitive strengths and weaknesses. The report also generally outlines the likely cause of any weaknesses and recommendations for strategies or support services that could be of use.

Neuropsychological Rehabilitation is that name given to support provided to those experiencing cognitive problems. It involves assisting the individual to learn a range of practical strategies that can assist them to deal with their particular areas of cognitive difficulty.

For example, a client with memory problems might learn a range of memory strategies such as mnemonics, to improve their memory effectiveness in every day life. Or a person with organisation difficulties might be taught to use a system of strategies to assist them with planning and organisation (e.g. diaries, wall calendars, notes and checklists).

The nature of the rehabilitation programme is always driven by the person’s specific goals and progress is measured against such goals.

Often in addition to cognitive issues there can be a range of emotional problems that accompany brain injury, including anger, depression, adjustment difficulties, and anxiety. Problems might also be of a relationship or sexual nature. If this is the case, then rehabilitation will also provide support around adjustment to these emotional/relationship changes in order to improve the individual’s overall quality of life.