School Neuropsychology: A Practitioner's Handbook

This important resource presents the latest information on brain-behavior relationships and describes ways school practitioners can apply neuropsychological principles in their work with children. Bridging the gap between neuropsychological theory, assessment, and intervention, this accessible text addresses complex topics in a straightforward, easy-to-understand fashion. The authors challenge previous conceptions about brain functions and present the cognitive hypothesis-testing model, an innovative method that helps practitioners form accurate understandings of learner characteristics and conduct meaningful and valid individualized interventions with children with a range of learning and behavior disorders. Including case studies and examples that illustrate what practitioners might actually see and do in the classroom, the volume comes in a large-size format with reproducible worksheets and forms.

Doody Review Services

Reviewer:Christopher J. Graver, PhD(Madigan Army Medical Center)
Description:This is a "hands-on" guide to neuropsychological practice in educational settings. It covers general content areas such as brain-behavior relationships, approaches to interpretation, and linking neuropsychological assessments to practical interventions. Furthermore, this book specifically explores disorders of reading, mathematics, and written language from a neuropsychological perspective.
Purpose:The purpose is to provide current information on brain-behavior relationships, as well as suggestions for the practical application of this information in the school setting. It is designed to provide a new way of thinking about pediatric assessment by practitioners who have experience and training in administering and interpreting neuropsychological instruments. This is a critically needed handbook, especially for those neuropsychologists new to the pediatric realm, and the authors have provided a very useful text to meet these objectives.
Audience:It is intended for practicing neuropsychologists, as well as graduate students in clinical psychology interested in pediatric practice. Although others may find this book interesting and helpful, the authors are clear that this book is not intended to provide individuals with the necessary information or skills to call themselves neuropsychologists. Therefore, a basic level of training in clinical psychology, neuropsychology, and neuroscience is assumed.
Features:This book provides an abundance of information useful to practitioners. Most notably, the tables are expedient to use and provide highly relevant information at a glance. For example, chapter 1 provides tables for commonly used instruments (e.g., WISC-IV and Woodcock-Johnson-III) that summarize the major subtests and their purported cognitive constructs. Later in the book, information is provided regarding normal brain function and ecologically valid examples of brain dysfunction, which are very helpful for both adult and pediatric populations. Chapter 4 goes on to discuss practical interventions and methods for assessing intervention outcomes when brain dysfunction is known or suspected. The book provides case examples in the latter chapters specifically related to reading, mathematical, and written language disorders. Each case example provides a brief background, test results, and guidance in the interpretation and recommendation stages of the clinical process, which are a refreshing complement to an already well-written book. Finally, there is an appendix at the end of each chapter that offers relevant supplemental information, which in some cases includes a glossary, additional suggested readings, or examples of instruments/questionnaires that may be useful.
Assessment:This is a highly accessible book for anyone with a background in neuropsychology seeking to expand his or her knowledge to include pediatric assessment in an educational setting. Although other books, such as Pediatric Neuropsychology: Research, Theory, and Practice, Yeates et al. (Guilford Publications, 2000), provide in-depth coverage of medical diseases and neuropsychological syndromes in pediatric practice, this book provides a practical guide for optimizing the neuropsychological assessment of school-aged children. While this isn't a typical handbook that readers will carry in their pocket (it's 8.5" x11"), they will undoubtedly keep it close at hand.

About the Authors James B. Hale, PhD, provides psychological and neuropsychological services at the Children's Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center in the Bronx, New York. He is a faculty member in the Department of Pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology of Yeshiva University.

Catherine A. Fiorello, PhD, is Associate Professor of School Psychology at Temple University, where she currently serves as program coordinator for school psychology. Prior to completing her doctorate, she worked as a certified school psychologist, and she continues to maintain a private practice in diagnostic assessment.