Workshop Abstracts

Neuropsychological feedback is increasingly recognized as an essential component of the assessment process and a means to therapeutically communicate diagnostic information. Our training makes us uniquely positioned to help patients understand and accept our findings. Yet, even the most senior neuropsychologists amongst us can experience challenges providing feedback to more defended and “difficult” patients. The characteristics within these patients can also make it challenging to access data needed for diagnostic clarity. This symposium will review literature describing how to best provide feedback with some of the most challenging patient populations (e.g., the “worried well”, patients presenting with poor effort, and patients with somatoform disorders). It will then introduce 2 new models designed to minimize patient/family defensiveness while simultaneously enhancing diagnostic clarity: Feedback through Interactive Neuropsychological Dialogue (FIND) and the Diagnostic Feedback Interview (DFI). These models were designed within my pediatric practice and will initially be presented within that framework. After reviewing FIND and the DFI, we will explore real examples of how these models were used when ruling in and ruling out ASD (our current TikTok diagnosis du juor). Examples of how to modify/apply these models across the lifespan and different clinical settings will also be included.

Academic and social disruption during the COVID 19 pandemic created enormous alteration of typical child and adolescent psychosocial and educational developmental experiences. Early research definitively showed impact of prolonged educational and social disruption, especially for children and adolescents of color, emerging English speakers, those from lower income households, and those with pre-existing learning and/or psychiatric challenges. This workshop reviews the most up-to-date published data on student learning loss, chronic absenteeism, remediation efficacy, learning disability diagnosis and intervention, and mental health functioning post-pandemic. In addition, presenters will review new evidence for alteration of neurodevelopmental trajectories for children and adolescents exposed to dramatic social and educational changes at critical developmental periods.

The workshop will address pediatric clinical practice models designed to mitigate the specific challenges neuropsychologists increasingly face since the pandemic, such as extensive wait lists, increasing demand for services, reimbursement changes, and provider shortages. Evidence presented in the workshop is highly relevant to clinical neuropsychologists, pediatric and lifespan, who rely on education estimation, normative data collected prior to the pandemic, and on achievement test scores for estimation of progress and abilities.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) has been identified as a risk factor for later developing neurodegenerative disorders (ND). Forensic neuropsychologists (FN) are frequently asked to comment on risk of ND after TBI in forensic cases. We provide an evidence-based foundation to aid FN outlining the: 1) role of FN in TBI-related litigation, 2) complexities associated with identifying TBIs in forensic cases, 3) science associating TBI with incident ND, and 4) current scientific evidence for chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Literature indicates that TBI is a risk factor for ND; however, differences in absolute rates of dementia in those with and without TBI (even mild) in large epidemiological studies are minimal (often <1%). The literature supporting a relationship between mTBI and later-in-life ND risk is mixed. The quality of evidence for risk of ND after mTBI is weak and is mostly observational studies characterized by methodological limitations. Applying clinical research results of TBI and dementia outcomes to forensic cases at an individual level carries significant limitations. Estimating the contribution of remote head hits or concussion in a causal manner to dementia is impossible beyond correlation and speculation.

Due to medical and technological advances, an increasing number of youth diagnosed with complex medical conditions are living into adulthood. The preparation process for transition to adulthood is multifaceted given intersections of an individual’s sociocultural environment of care, medical complexity, and neurocognitive factors. Neuropsychologists can play a unique and vital role integrating medical, cognitive, and psychosocial considerations to inform individualized and tailored recommendations for medical teams, families, and patients. This workshop introduces different models of neuropsychologically-informed care such as targeted assessments to evaluate need for decision-making supports and interdisciplinary collaborations to screen and build an individual’s independence skills. We will introduce different methods to assess readiness for transition to adulthood across multiple medical populations and identify contexts of care where neuropsychology can embed to provide these supports. Considerations of tailored and individualized recommendations that are culturally sensitive and aligned with family values and beliefs around independence will be discussed. Individual and systemic facilitators as well as challenges and barriers to successful transition to adulthood will be reviewed. This workshop will also review the use of quality improvement paradigms to identify needs, align with strategic stakeholders, and implement and evaluate neuropsychologically-informed transition-to-adulthood programs.

The Minnesota Update Conference has proposed guidelines for the education and training of clinical neuropsychologists from graduate school through fellowship and subsequent continuing education. The Minnesota Guidelines, developed over a period of 2 years, are intended to prepare specialists for clinical practice with culturally and linguistically diverse patient populations utilizing both existing tools and measures and emerging technologies. Controversies emerged over the process for developing the Guidelines, their emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion and their focus on competency development over specific didactic content. The first presentation (Stringer) in this workshop will provide an overview of the Guidelines and their development. The second presentation (Van Patten) will cover strategies for implementing the Guidelines at all stages of training and continuing education. The third presentation (Reyes, Fuchs, and Stringer) will discuss, though not necessarily resolve, controversies arising from the Minnesota Guidelines, including the approach taken to diversity and advocacy within neuropsychology. The final presentation (Fuchs, Edgar, and Butt) will focus on recommendations for future revisions of neuropsychology training guidelines, particularly as the field is called upon to address the needs of marginalized and minoritized communities.

This workshop will explore how digital technologies can transform and innovate neuropsychological research and practice, with presentations from four speakers followed by a structured brainstorming session. Speakers will discuss 1) the role of cognitive and speech AI in enhancing assessment accuracy and streamlining large-scale monitoring/triage of services; 2) the use of real-time cognitive assessment tools, showcasing how these technologies enable more granular, within-person data; 3) the application of digital innovations in aging research, emphasizing their potential to improve the detection and treatment of age-related cognitive decline; and 4) practical regulatory and financial considerations, guiding attendees through the complexities of compliance and funding for tech-based solutions in neuropsychology.

Following the presentations, attendees will engage in an interactive brainstorming session aimed at identifying potential roadblocks to implementing these technologies in neuropsychological settings, determining the types of tools participants are most interested in incorporating into evaluations, and developing a strategic path forward for integrating digital technology in neuropsychological research and practice. This collaborative session will foster new discussion topics in our field, identify common challenges, and create actionable plans to advance the field through innovative technological approaches.

This workshop will review the current state of the art of the assessment of performance and symptom validity during pediatric neuropsychological evaluations. The impact of failure of either performance validity (PVTs) and/or symptom validity (SVTs) measures on neuropsychological results will be described, as well as the degree to which PVT and SVT results provide overlapping versus complementary information. Special attention will be paid to the influence of demographic variables (e.g., age) and personal history variables (e.g., special education placement) of PVT and/or SVT results. The presentation will also include suggestions of how to handle PVT or SVT failure in clinical practice in interaction with the child and family. It will also provide suggestions for documentation in written reports and during depositions or trials.

The goal of this workshop is to provide information, resources, and support for individuals considering pursuing subspecialty certification in Pediatric Clinical Neuropsychology through ABCN/American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP). This workshop will provide an overview of the three-step evaluation process that includes 1) determination of eligibility and credential review, 2) written examination, and 3) submission of a practice sample. In this workshop, we will discuss the rationale and benefits of the pediatric subspecialty. We will provide information and resources to support the progression of candidates interested in pursuing subspecialty board certification in Pediatric Clinical Neuropsychology. We will review relevant functional and foundational competencies including how multicultural competency will be assessed as part of the examination process.

Open discussion with ECC members about their personal experiences with transitioning from “trainee” to “supervisor”. Current postdoctoral fellows are also invited to share their current experiences with tiered supervision and learn about resources to prepare them for their first job and first role as clinical supervisor. During this discussion, we will address the importance of fostering an inclusive and equitable environment in supervision, promoting the value of diverse perspectives and experiences in enhancing clinical practice.

This presentation provides an overview of the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) and American Board of Clinical Neuropsychology (ABCN) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) process. The presentation will provide a summary of ‘MOC basics,’ including MOC requirements and timelines for application submissions. A MOC application exercise (‘mock MOC’) will be presented to showcase the electronic MOC application and to illustrate the array of professional activities that an applicant may cite in support of the successful MOC application. A primary aim of the presentation is to emphasize that MOC is NOT a process of ABCN re-examination or completion of any formal testing, but rather a systematic process of documenting one’s routine professional activities in neuropsychology that serve to maintain competence, including competence serving culturally, ethnically, racially, and linguistically diverse populations, over the course of one’s career.

Social determinants of health (SDOH) are defined as personal, social, and environmental characteristics that affect overall health and well-being. When working with medical populations, pediatric neuropsychologists routinely consider individual factors (e.g., age at evaluation, sex) and medical variables such as age of disease onset, length and severity of illness or disease, and etiology. Given that approximately 80% of health outcomes are related to SDOH rather than medical factors, issues relating to health equity are receiving urgent attention from pediatric neuropsychologists.

This workshop will provide an overview of the SDOH that contribute to neuropsychological outcomes and care management for neurodevelopmental and pediatric medical conditions commonly seen by pediatric neuropsychologists, including congenital/genetic disorders, acquired brain injury, epilepsy, and oncological conditions. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model will provide a framework for understanding the interplay between multi-level family, community, and societal factors that impact neuropsychological and health outcomes. Additionally, novel tools to measure SDOH at each of these levels will be discussed. Finally, we will discuss interventions aimed to mitigate identified barriers to clinical services and risk to neuropsychological outcomes, including patient navigation services, educational liaisons, and programs to provide food, transportation, and technology resources to patients and families.

Trials are increasingly rare, regardless of jurisdiction (federal or state), case (criminal or civil), type (bench or jury), or claim (tort, contract, crime, family, or property). In contrast, neuropsychologist expert utilization at trial continues to increase. Previous workshops have presented mock depositions, modeled mock calls from attorneys seeking experts, and showed how to provide compelling testimony. This workshop, based on a U.S. federal district court trial transcript, features an experienced trial judge and attorneys in a mock trial with neuropsychologist experts providing conflicting opinions about mTBI and malingering. From motions to exclude, opening statements, through expert witness testimony, to impeachment, impositions of sanctions, closing arguments and verdict, this tragic maritime accident illustrates why neuropsychologist expert opinions can be both vexing and valuable in assisting the jury. Discussion will include commentary from one of the retained experts and legal analysis from attorneys. Participants will learn effective professional responses to challenging cross examination that bolsters credibility and avoids pitfalls, all while being consistent with relevant legal authority and mindful of our new APA Ethics Code. This workshop presents evidentiary material illustrating the application of the APA Ethics Code to dilemmas arising in forensic consultation consistent with Relevance 2050 educational goals and guidelines.

Electrical shock injury (EI) is a unique, yet incompletely understood traumatic injury associated with a complex constellation of physical, neurocognitive, and emotional/behavioral symptoms that may not manifest for months post-injury. While EI occurs less commonly and has far less available systematic research than traumatic brain injury (TBI), it is associated with significant disability-related costs as it typically occurs among young, working-class individuals (frequently in skilled trades) at peak employability, and is thus a condition that neuropsychologists regularly evaluate in forensic/disability and clinical/rehabilitation contexts. Although EI is often compared to TBI, the scientific literature indicates that the neuropsychological sequelae and trajectories/outcomes of these injuries are markedly distinct. This workshop will review the pathophysiology and mechanisms of EI, followed by the objective neurocognitive and psychological findings in acute, subacute, and chronic post-injury phases contrasted against TBI (Pliskin et al., 2006). Additionally, the scientific literature on performance and symptom validity testing/validity outcome studies will be reviewed with specific emphasis on implications for forensic neuropsychological practice with EI survivors (Resch et al., 2021; Soble et al., 2019). Finally, unanswered questions in the extant literature and future directions will be reviewed to better facilitate evidence-based neuropsychological practice with this increasing diverse population.

The landscape of Alzheimer’s disease treatment has changed dramatically within the last several years. Monoclonal antibody treatments are the first FDA-approved disease modifying therapies which inevitably impact how Alzheimer’s disease is diagnosed and treated. It is important for neuropsychologists to familiarize themselves with these fast-changing developments and how they may apply to clinical practice. It is equally important for neuropsychology as a field to be intricately involved in these complex decisions given our expertise in cognition, brain-behavior relationships, and the impact of psychosocial factors. As faculty neuropsychologists within an academic medical center-based multidisciplinary memory clinic team, which is led by a neuropsychologist, we will review relevant literature, discuss our clinic model in which neuropsychologists play a crucial role, overview lessons learned over the past three years of providing monoclonal antibody therapies, and explore anticipated shifts in approach to practice.

This session will be hosted by the Student Affairs Committee and will include three components. The first component will be a panel discussion on professional development focusing on the practical aspects of being a neuropsychology trainee, such as developing a professional identity, seeking mentorship, reflecting on training and setting future goals, and increasing awareness of neuropsychology roles across various settings. The panel discussion will be followed by the return of Neuropsychology Jeopardy where we will divide into groups and play this neuropsychology trivia game covering a wide range of adult and pediatric topics along with general neuropsychology knowledge. The session will conclude with the winners of the TCN and CN Paper Competition presenting their winning study.

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the world’s leading congenital anomaly with high neuropsychological and psychosocial morbidity despite improved mortality. Neuropsychologists have a unique role to play in this challenge, both in championing neuropsychological needs and designing and providing models of equitable and innovative services that monitor and promote brain health. Importantly, families are demanding more patient engagement and accountability in our research questions and service delivery. There is a pressing need to expand beyond cognitive components of brain functioning in CHD alone, to also consider emotional, behavioural, and familial components of impact and interventions. The profession of clinical neuropsychology is at a critical crossroad, moving from siloed understanding of brain-behaviour outcomes in CHD towards a greater acknowledgment of the intersectional factors that impact salient outcomes. The proposed workshop will present 1) current neuropsychological outcome literature in CHD, 2) historical gaps, evidence of differential risks and outcomes by sociocultural factors, and 3) directions for research and practice. The workshop will present examples of challenges and opportunities clinicians and researchers have every day, offering practical strategies and innovative solutions. Preventative models of neuropsychological service delivery will be illustrated, alongside examples of national level collaborations to inspire practice change in neuropsychological care.

The need for innovative, evidence-based methods to assess performance and symptom validity has grown significantly as our clientele becomes increasingly diverse, technological advances occur, and outside threats become more prevalent (coaching by attorneys, violations of test security, etc.). However, sustaining contemporary knowledge can be daunting. Towards this end, the workshop will address innovative research concerning symptom validity testing (SVT) and performance validity testing (PVT). The workshop will initially address current conceptual and practical issues in validity assessment, as well as an overview of new methods and challenges such as differential cutoffs based on ethnoracial variables (Basso et al., 2024), and SVTs (Whiteside & Basso, 2024). Then the presenters will review emerging empirical paradigms for developing novel measures and cross-validating existing validity measures in diverse clinical populations to demonstrate psychometric equivalency among examinees and support best practices for broad use of various validity indices in clinical and forensic evaluations (Peak et al., 2024; Soble et al., 2023). Ultimately, the workshop aims to provide attendees with an expanded clinical toolkit for effective, empirically supported, and culturally sensitive validity assessment across a wide range of professional contexts.

Movement disorders encompass a spectrum of neurological conditions, often overshadowed by the prevalence of Parkinson’s disease. This workshop aims to illuminate the cognitive changes inherent in less commonly discussed movement disorders such as Essential Tremor, Huntington’s Disease, Corticobasal Syndrome, Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, and Multiple Systems Atrophy. Through a series of expert-led sessions, we will delve into the latest research findings, discuss diagnostic challenges, and explore cross-cultural considerations for working with these patients. This workshop will serve as a unique platform for knowledge exchange and will contribute to the refinement of clinical practices concerning the cognitive aspects of movement disorders. By broadening the scope of discussion beyond Parkinson’s disease, we aim to shed light on these often-neglected conditions and improve assessment practices.

Functional neurological disorder (FND) is a common and disabling condition that refers to sensory, motor, and/or cognitive symptoms resulting from the disruption of neural networks rather than readily identifiable structural neuropathology. FND represents the second most frequent referral to neurologists and it often presents with complex and heterogeneous symptoms that reduce functional independence and quality of life. Still, FND has been underappreciated in medicine and psychology for decades, leaving many patients without adequate care. FND includes several closely related subtypes (e.g., seizures, movement disorders, cognitive disorder) that share pathophysiological underpinnings but also have unique presentations. Critically, cognitive problems are one of the most common symptoms reported across FND subtypes (>80% of patients in large survey studies) and these cognitive deficits limit quality of life and treatment gains. There is a growing recognition of the key role of neuropsychologists in the care of patients with FND, particularly through comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment, treatment planning, and cognitive rehabilitation. There is a critical need for neuropsychologists to understand FND so that they can advocate for active involvement in patient care. The current workshop will provide attendees with strong background knowledge of FND, as well as clinically actionable advice and guidance for evaluation and treatment.

Certification through the American Board of Clinical Neuropsychology (ABCN) for clinical neuropsychologists is a major objective of the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology and is becoming job requirement in many adult and pediatric settings. This three-part workshop series familiarizes attendees with all aspects of the board certification process and prepares you for your next step toward certification. Part 3 introduces attendees to the ethics/professional development and fact finding parts of the oral examination for board certification. Attendees will have the opportunity to observe simulations of these portions of the oral exam and hear critiques from the presenters in order to develop effective strategies for taking these parts of the exam.