Neuropsychological Training Information
In order to ensure standardization of administration and scoring, there are a number of requirements that must be met before an examiner may administer this test battery to participants. After satisfactory completion of all training requirements, examiners will receive a formal certification that will allow them to administer the test battery as part of this study. Non-certified study staff are prohibited from interacting with participants in a neuropsychological assessment capacity.
Read the manual: Directions for most tests are also on the test themselves, but additional information about the test and what to do in certain situations can be found in the manual. Even if the examiner is familiar with a test, the test administration instructions in the manual may differ slightly from the versions with which examiners may be familiar. The manual is designed to be used simultaneously with the training video. Throughout the manual, there are frequent references to the video. In the manual, phrases to be spoken by the examiner are printed in bold text. There are specific words or phrases that must be stressed during administration. Those specific words will be printed in italics.
Watch and score the training video: Although having the same examiner administer the test battery to the same participant at all three visits is ideal, this may be unlikely. Because this is a five year project, this video serves as the “Gold Standard” for test administration. This video contains information on how to deal with problems or irregularities that may arise during the assessment. In order to fully complete the video training, all examiners should score the test protocols presented in the video as well as the additional measures shown at the end of the video.
Scoring Packet: The examiner will submit: 1) Scoring of training video, 2) scoring of his or her own video and 3) Scoring of the additional Figure Drawing available on the website.
Create a video: When all other items have been completed, the last step in the certification process is for the examiner to record a mock assessment that shows the examiner administering the test battery to a volunteer (not a participant). This should be a continuous taping without breaks, with all tests administered. At the end of the tape, the examiner should also read the words in the WRAT-4 Reading Test into the camera. This video should then be sent to the Boston University site to be reviewed by the certification team. Trained neuropsychologists will review the tape and send feedback to the examiner. If any substantial administration or scoring errors were observed, the feedback will be provided and the examiner will be asked to film the test or tests again and re-submit a video.
