American Board of Clinical Neuropsychology

The candidate will be able to demonstrate competency in the following Foundational and Functional Competency areas as defined below:

Foundational Competencies

Scientific Knowledge & Methods – Candidates can discuss the research basis of clinical neuropsychological practice as defined by the core knowledge base domains described in the Houston Conference guidelines for education and training in neuropsychology. These include research methodology in clinical populations, neurodevelopment, psychopathology, functional neuroanatomy, clinical syndromes, and specialized neuropsychological assessment techniques. Candidates will be able to discuss the history of clinical neuropsychology and demonstrate familiarity with recent scientific and scholarly developments in clinical neuropsychology. They can discuss how they apply this knowledge appropriately in clinical practice.

Evidence Based Practice – Candidates can discuss the recent literature on normal and abnormal brain development and function, assessment methods, and intervention strategies and how they apply this knowledge according to evidence-based practice concepts.

Individual and Cultural Diversity – Candidates demonstrate an awareness of aspects of individual and cultural diversity and discuss how these issues inform assessment, consultation, intervention, and scientific knowledge. Candidates must recognize the impact of cultural, linguistic, socio-environmental, and other areas of diversity as they pertain to cognitive development and brain function/dysfunction. They must also be able to discuss how their own individual and cultural characteristics may influence functioning across competency domains and interpersonal interactions.

Ethical Legal Standards & Policy -Candidates demonstrate knowledge of: (1) current APA/CPA ethical principles and practice standards; (2) current statutory and regulatory provisions applicable to professional practice; (3) the implications of these principles to protect patients, society, and the profession; and (4) how to recognize and avoid adverse ethical and legal circumstances and address them appropriately.

Professionalism – Candidates can discuss their role in different contexts and systems relevant to clinical populations served. They must describe how they remain current in knowledge and skills of brain-behavior assessment and, whenever appropriate, contribute to advancements in the field. Candidates can discuss how they continuously improve their practice and comport themselves in a professional manner and retain a professional demeanor at all times, including in all verbal, nonverbal, and written communications. Candidates demonstrate recognition of their professional accountability and are amenable to external review.

Relationships – Candidates demonstrate the ability to interact effectively with patients, caregivers, and other providers. They must be able to establish effective working relationships across systems of care and communicate effectively with others about brain behavior relationships. They demonstrate knowledge of and sensitivity to issues regarding the welfare, rights, and dignity of others, and they can discuss their awareness of their own impact on others.

Interdisciplinary Systems – Candidates demonstrate knowledge of key issues and concepts in related disciplines (e.g., neurology, psychiatry, neuroradiology, rehabilitation, education) and the ability to communicate and interact knowledgeably with professionals across these disciplines. Candidates can articulate the roles of other professionals with regard to patient care, integrate the perspectives of related disciplines into their case conceptualizations, display the ability to work as a member of interdisciplinary teams, and collaborate with other professionals to contribute neuropsychological information to overall team diagnostic formulation, planning, and intervention.

Reflective Practice/Self-Assessment/Self-Care – Candidates demonstrate personal and professional self-awareness and the ability to monitor and evaluate their own professional performance. They can articulate processes for ongoing analysis of their skill set and knowledge base. They can discuss their recognition of the limits of their own competence and seek consultation and/or additional training as warranted to meet the needs of their patients

Functional Competencies

Assessment – Candidates demonstrate knowledge about the application of appropriate evaluative methods for different patient populations and problems in a variety of contexts. They demonstrate knowledge about test construction, standardization, validation, or related psychometric issues as applied to clinical neuropsychological assessment techniques; these include assessment practices, profile interpretation, communication of results, and use of assessment results. Candidates can discuss their ability to understand and appropriately address individual and cultural diversity factors, ethical issues, and legal issues as they relate to assessment choices, interpretation of results, intervention, and outcome evaluation.

Consultation – Candidates demonstrate the ability to communicate and apply knowledge in consultation with others such as health care professionals from other disciplines, educational personnel, social service agencies, nursing homes, rehabilitation staff, industry, legal systems, public policy makers, and individuals in other institutions and settings. They demonstrate skill at clarifying the referral question and effectively communicating results to referring/treating providers and patients both verbally and in writing. Candidates who are professionally involved in non-evaluative settings such as clinical research or as policy consultants demonstrate effective collaboration and integration of neuropsychological science and practice as appropriate.

Intervention – Candidates demonstrate knowledge of potential treatments and interventions to address the cognitive and behavioral problems observed on neuropsychological assessment. They demonstrate knowledge of evidence-based intervention methods and a rationale appropriate to address deficits in cognition, attention, learning and memory, problem solving, sensory motor processing, and psychological disorders. Recognizing that in some forms of professional practice, assessment and intervention are integral parts of the same process, while in other clinical circumstances, specific recommendations for managing the problem are made through referrals to other appropriate professionals, candidates are able to demonstrate informed decision making regarding choice of therapeutic or environmental interventions to address cognitive, behavioral, or psychosocial deficits in the context of considerations regarding individual diversity and life circumstances.

*Candidates who engage in other, optional, competency areas such as Research, Teaching, Clinical Supervision, Management-Administration, and/or patient Advocacy activities as part of their professional practice as a neuropsychologist are provided opportunities to discuss those activities during the Professional Identification interview of the oral examination, and when salient to other portions of the examination. Only the core competencies of Assessment, Consultation, and Intervention, however, are formally evaluated.