The Neuropsychological Assessment of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Epilepsy Patients

Much of the available literature suggests that immigrant populations are at increased risk for congenital and acquired neurological disorders; epilepsy is no exception. The elevated incidence of seizure disorders in ethnically and culturally diverse immigrant groups necessitates increased attention to factors which intrinsically and extrinsically limit the reliability, validity, and utility of neuropsychological assessments in these populations. In order to fully address these concerns, it is first necessary to consider the role of culture-, language-, and immigration-specific variables throughout all aspects of the testing session, data interpretation, and case formulation. Although specific procedures may vary due to the patient’s individual needs, the neuropsychological evaluation of epilepsy patients typically includes the following: (1) clinical interview, (2) assessment of mental status and/or (3) estimation of premorbid abilities, (4) evaluation of intellectual functioning and specific neuropsychological abilities, (5) examination of behavioral and psychiatric functioning, and (6) assessment of health-related quality of life. Accordingly, the focus of this chapter is to address each component of the neuropsychological assessment, as enumerated above, by providing both a framework and practical recommendations specific to the evaluation of culturally and linguistically diverse populations with epilepsy and seizure disorders.