Hi Joy. Since other have posted about the legal implications I won't comment further on that, but there are a couple reasons for your husband to accompany you. In addition to providing a ride and emotional support, the usual protocol is to include the spouse in the interview portion of the evaluation.

The evaluation itself will likely be performed by a PhD level clinical neuropsychologist. The typical format is an opening interview (which is where your husband would come in) followed by a series of tests which could include general intelligence tests (Wechsler AIS), a depression and/or anxiety inventory, verbal and visual recall such as digit span, trail marking, word memory, and pattern recall. Following the tests the neuropsychologist will probably review the finding with you.

Lighttrail,

How long was your testing? It sounds like it was a short session. The stesting i had was about 5 hours in total. Several different things.

About 4 hours: Initial inverview, subtests of WAIS-IV, Beck depression and anxiety inventory, Patient Competency Ratings Scale, WRAT-3, Rey Auditory Verbal Learning, Visiospatial memory test, trail marking A&B, WCST, Verbal Fluency, post testing evaluation and debrief.

Unless the NeuroPsych office has specifically requested the spouse be present, they are not usually included. I have had three NPA's. Only one had my wife there and it was the 45 minute mini version done for SSDI by a generic psychologist. She was not asked about my cognitive and memory skills but rather behavioral issues.

The 4 and 5 hour NPA's were without my wife and did not include a debrief. The 5 hour was schedule to go into part of a second day but the NP stopped it early because he already had decided on a diagnosis.

IMO, A NeuroPsych who needs the spouse's comments is fishing for ways to deny the organic nature of the complaints.

Lightrail, I am curious about your Trailmaking test scores. What were your times and what was the evaluation of those times?

Often, the A and B times are not properly evaluated for concussion.

Hi Mark. The first time (still in hospital, 2 months post-accident):

"The patient completed part A in 34 seconds with 0 errors. The patient had significantly more difficulty in part B, eventually completed in 187 seconds with 1 error. Patient was proceeding slowly but once he made an error he had a difficult time finding his place and had to essentially go back to the beginning and work his way through in a much slower fashion.”

Evaluation (including the other tests): “Patient shows significant difficulties with visuospatial learning, recall, mental flexibility, abstract reasoning, and problem solving. Patient is not ready to return to work at this time. Patient should not drive given difficulties with mental flexibility/multitasking.”

The second evaluation 3 months later:

“The patient completed part A in 25 seconds with no errors; part B in 48 seconds with no errors (high average).

Evaluation: “Patient demonstrated intact cognition in all domains. He has shown an excellent recovery from his severe injury only five months ago. From a cognitive standpoint there are no concerns with the patient returning to work or driving”.

BTW in Essentials of Neuropsychological Assessment (2nd Ed, Hebben, Williams, 2009), for the interview portion of the evaluation currently the normal protocol is stated to include the spouse or close family member/caretaker.

Had my Neuropsych yesterday. Was just over 5 hours and I was completely wiped out afterwards. Some was done on computer and some was done with manipulatives or out of booklets. My husband was included in initial interview.

I will say that I was under the impression that most of the interviews were conducted by Neuropsychologist and the exams were turned overr to "examiners".

This was not the case for me. The whole exam was given by the Chief of Clinical Neuropsychology for a very well known Dept. Of Neurology.

Probably a relief to get that over with. Mine were conducted by the clinical neuropsychologist (PhD) as well. Did they review your results with you?