Developmental Neuropsychology Clinic

Goals of this rotation are for students to develop a greater understanding of learning differences and other common neurodevelopmental disorders, including etiology, trajectory, and evidence-based assessment and intervention. Interns will develop greater proficiency in administering assessment measures with children, as well as further developing case conceptualization and presentation skills, presenting complex feedback to parents, and integrating information in comprehensive reports.

Required activities include performing individual evaluations, giving case presentations at the weekly Clinic case conference, participating in discussions of others’ cases, conducting parent interviews and jointly providing feedback to parents about evaluation results, developing specific intervention plans, becoming knowledgeable about specific community resources, and writing reports. Evaluations also often involve review of previous records and consultation with teachers and other providers. Students will also be expected to do some readings about various disorders affecting cognitive performance. 

Interns must attend the Clinic case conference on Wednesdays, 12:00 to 2:00 PM.

Optional activities include further reading and participation in research activities. Trainees who enter with some previous training in neuropsychology may participate in more comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations.

There is a close integration of research and practice in this clinic, and the overall theoretical perspective derives from developmental cognitive neuroscience and behavioral and molecular genetics. So, there is a considerable emphasis on understanding the genetic and environmental risk and protective factors that have shaped the development of the client’s cognitive and psychosocial profile, and on empirically-supported treatments for helping to optimize the client’s development.

Clinical activities include individual evaluation, development of skill in relating to school personnel both for information gathering as well as to facilitate subsequent intervention, and providing education to parents and school personnel regarding the nature of a child’s difficulties.

Clients seen at this clinic are referred from the community, frequently from pediatricians, teachers, learning specialists, and psychologists. We usually work with children who are having difficulties in school and presenting with a range of academic, behavioral, and social/emotional concerns. We also sometimes see children who have medical conditions or experienced neurological insults that may interfere with their learning. The age range of clients is approximately 5 through college-age.

Supervision takes several forms - feedback and evaluation, case conferences, and direct supervision (both group and individual).

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