Neuropsychology is a specialty within psychology that aims to understand the nuanced relationships between the nervous system and mental/cognitive functions such as language, memory, perception, and motor functioning1.
A clinical neuropsychologist is a professional within the field of psychology with special expertise in the applied science of brain-behavior relationships. Clinical neuropsychologists use this knowledge in the assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and/or rehabilitation of patients across the lifespan with neurological, medical, neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions, as well as other cognitive and learning disorders. The clinical neuropsychologist uses psychological, neurological, cognitive, behavioral, and physiological principles, techniques and tests to evaluate patients’ neurocognitive, behavioral, and emotional strengths and weaknesses and their relationship to normal and abnormal central nervous system functioning. The clinical neuropsychologist uses this information and information provided by other medical/healthcare providers to identify and diagnose neurobehavioral disorders, and plan and implement intervention strategies2.
References
- (n.d.) American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. (2011). Retrieved November 29 2016 from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/neuropsychology
- Report of the Division 40/INS Joint Task Force on Education, Accreditation, and Credentialing (1984). Division 40 Newsletter, Vol.2, no. 2, pp. 3-8.