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Developments in Clinical Neuropsychology: Implications for School Psychological Services
Author(s) -
Cleary Michael J.,
Scott Albert J.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of school health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.851
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1746-1561
pISSN - 0022-4391
DOI - 10.1111/j.1746-1561.2010.00550.x
Subject(s) - psychology , neuropsychology , clinical psychology , applied psychology , medical education , psychiatry , psychotherapist , medicine , cognition
BACKGROUND: According to the 2000 Report of the Surgeon General's Conference on Children's Mental Health, a significant percentage of children and adolescents have emotional or behavioral problems serious enough to merit a mental health diagnosis. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 reemphasized the schools' importance in supporting cognitive and behavioral development in students, particularly those identified with learning problems. In this article, we examine the growing specialty of clinical neuropsychology and provide suggestions for integrating this field into school‐based psychological services. METHODS: This article provides a review of the neuropsychological bases for many childhood learning disorders and addresses how school psychologists can work with clinical neuropsychologists to better address the needs of exceptional children through neuropsychological testing. RESULTS: There is substantial neurological evidence for attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder as well as disorders of reading, language, and mathematics. Close collaborative partnerships between clinical neuropsychologists and school psychologists will help develop assessment protocols that are likely to result in more effective intervention services for students with neuropsychological conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Schools are being asked to support the physical, cognitive, and emotional development in students, particularly those identified with chronic physical and mental health challenges. Dissatisfaction with minimal screenings, the growing awareness of the neurology of learning disorders, and the passage of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 obliges all school‐based mental health providers to consider how to fully integrate the tools of clinical neuropsychology into school‐based psychological services.