Integrating Neuropsychology and School Psychology: Potential and Pitfalls

Abstract

The neurological basis of learning disabilities (LD), and other handicapping conditions commonly found in school-age children, makes the integration of neuropsychology and school psychology plausible. However, there has been longstanding debate over the required level of education, training, supervision, and credentialing needed for the practice of neuropsychology in the school and attempts at integration have thus far been controversial. Although the competent practice of school psychology requires some familiarity with neuropsychology foundations, terminology, techniques, and contributions to the understanding of disorders of childhood and adolescence, training guidelines are lacking. The demarcation between psychoeducational and neuropsychological techniques has become increasingly blurred; neuropsychology is already practiced in schools without consensus regarding training and credentialing. This paper briefly traces the history of neuropsychology in the schools from the early 1980s to the present, describing both the potential and the pitfalls for the integration of clinical child neuropsychology and school psychology, including implications for training.