8 - Justification of Neuropsychological Batteries

Abstract

The basis of all neuropsychological assessment procedures, including forensics, is justification. Justification is derived from general reliability. Neuropsychological assessment knowledge is reliable if, and only if, it is derived from methods that have been validated using psychometric procedures that are generally acceptable in science. This chapter elaborates the nature of justification. It emphasizes the distinction between research in basic theoretical neuropsychology and assessment research. It deals with the concepts used to justify unstandardized batteries, including the difference between medicine and neuropsychology. Further the chapter deals with the requirements for a standardized battery, including norming and validation. A battery may be validated by either clinical judgment or psychometric procedures. Because whole batteries are used for interpretations and provide information different from that derived from individual tests, psychometric procedures must be applied to batteries. Standardized battery norms represent a sample of the general population. Adequate representation depends on the size of the sample, the location of subjects, and whether they are neurologically normal.