Cognitive Assessment with Adults

This chapter reviews competencies involved in performing cognitive assessments of adults, making a distinction between cognitive assessment and clinical neuropsychological assessment, each of which require different doctoral level education, different areas of expertise, and different professional practicum training. Cognitive assessment plays its traditional role in clinical psychology maintaining the organizational structure, scientific and professional status, and clinical services that have existed in the past. The APA can now accredit educational programs in clinical neuropsychology at the predoctoral or postdoctoral level, and there are numerous neuropsychology journals and several societies. Clinically, many healthcare facilities now have designated clinical neuropsychologists on their staffs. This chapter reviews the basic competencies required for both cognitive and neuropsychological assessment of adults, including considerations of training models, accreditation at varying levels of expertise, and substantive clinical competencies.