The following articles will benefit parents, teachers, and professionals seeking a fuller understanding of the assessment of neurodevelopmental dysfunction, particularly NLD - when and how to assess, how to interpret results, and how to apply those results to real life situations.

When You Suspect NLD

This first article will help parents and professionals identify when NLD may be suspected.

Children’s Nonverbal Learning Disabilities Scale

Author - David B. Goldstein, PhD

Summary - A valuable tool, created by a psychologist who specializes in developmental assessment and treatment, to help parents recognize if their child may have NLD, and if a formal assessment should be considered.

Size - 14 K, approx. 6 pages

The next two articles, though they do not specifically refer to NLD, address many aspects of the syndrome. They provide a broader understanding of neurodevelopmental dysfunction and assessment procedures.

Childhood Neurodevelopmental Dysfunction and Learning Disorders

Author - Melvine D. Levine, MD

Summary - A brief but very informative article, describing in everyday language the implications of neurodevelopmental dysfunction (in such areas as attention, memory, language, organizational skills, neuromotor functioning, higher cognitive functions, and social functions). Its explanations will give parents, teachers, and mental health professionals a deeper understanding of neurologically-based disorders.

Size - 16K, approx. 7 pages

Assessing Children for the Presence of a Disability

Author - Betsy B. Waterman, PhD

Summary - This document could more accurately be described as a handbook than an article. It is incredibly comprehensive, defining the assessment process and its intent with IDEA, the categories of disabilities outlined in IDEA, and the role of parents in the assessment process. It addresses all areas that should be evaluated, and concludes with how assessment results should be interpreted and applied to the student's educational program.

Size - 153K, approx. 75 pages

Types of Assessments

The articles in this section have been selected based on their effectiveness in exploring several factors: The disciplines of psychology and neuropsychology, where an individual is most likely to be assessed; various and often confusing professional designations; and commonly used testing instruments, and what they measure.

Concepts in Psychological Assessment

Author - Laljit Sidhu

Summary - Informative and understandable explanations of the differences between various types of evaluators, evaluations, and components of psychological assessments.

Size - 25K, approx. 11 pages

Neuropsychological Assessment

Author - Gregory P. Lee, PhD

Summary - Defines what neuropsychology is, and outlines the purposes and applications of neuropsychological assessment. This is an excellent "first read" to understand the field of neuropsychology, and how it differs from psychology or psychiatry.

Size - 15K, approx. 6 pages

An Introduction to Neuropsychological Assessment

Author - Alan E. Brooker

Summary - Describes the skills and abilities investigated in a clinical neuropsychological evaluation, many of the testing instruments used, and why a thorough assessment is critical to the diagnosis and description of brain dysfunction.

Size - 23K, approx. 10 pages

Neuropsychological Assessment in Schools

Author - William R. Merz, Sr., et al

Summary - Explains what neuropsychological assessment is, and why it is important to educators. In the words of the author, "It helps school psychologists systematically measure a child's skills and determine the best learning environment for the child."

Size - 14K, approx. 7 pages

Neuropsychology for Neurologists

Authors - David W. Loring, PhD, & Kimford J. Meador, MD

Summary - Although this article specifically excludes pediatric neuropsychology, including the assessment of learning disabilities, it provides a comprehensive examination of common approaches to neuropsychological assessment, training issues, and the use and misuse of neuropsychological tests.

Size - 48K, approx. 21 pages

Test Interpretation

Each of the following articles relate to a specific aspect of the NLD assessment process.

Testing for Assessment of a Reading Problem

Author - Marc D. Lewkowicz, PhD

Summary - The reading difficulties of NLD individuals are frequently missed in standardized testing because of their strong decoding and verbal skills. This article provides a detailed explanation of all the components that are required to be a good reader, and how to measure them.

Size - 20K, approx. 8 pages

NLD = VIQ > PIQ: It Ain't Necessarily So

Author - Pamela B. Tanguay

Summary - A brief but revealing article which dispels the misconception that a WISC VIQ>PIQ is the key indicator of NLD. The author explains why this profile, although common, is not always present, since the verbal score may be suppressed by particular subtest scores.

Size - 12K, approx. 5 pages

Understanding Tests and Measurements

Authors - Peter W.D. Wright, Esq. & Pamela Darr Wright, MA, MSW

Summary - This in-depth article unravels the mystery of WISC test results, particularly subtest scatter and percentile ranking. Since NLD individuals invariably have WISC subtest scatter, an understanding of these two issues is critical.

Size - 158KB, approx. 54 pages

Assessment Links:

American Board of Clinical Neuropsychology

To locate a clinical neuropsychologist in the U.S., Canada, or Australia, consult the directory on this site.

ERIC/AE Test Locator

This Educational Testing Service (ETS) Test Collection database contains articles and references on over 10,000 psychoeducational testing instruments (e.g. WISC-III, Woodcock Johnson, etc.).

Neuropsychology Testing Instruments (Professionals)

Although this list of testing instruments is primarily for ordering purposes for professionals, it is included here because it provides brief explanations of various tests which may be administered by a neuropsychologist, as well as what they are designed to measure.

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