NEPSY
Encyclopedia
NEPSY is a series of neuropsychological test
s authored by Marit Korkman, Ursula Kirk and Sally Kemp, that are used in various combinations to assess neuropsychological development in children ages 3–16 years in six functional domains. NEPSY was designed to assess both basic and complex aspects of cognition critical to children’s ability to learn and be productive in and outside of, school settings. It is designed to test cognitive functions not typically covered by general ability or achievement batteries. The original NEPSY (Korkman, Kirk & Fellman, 1998) was published in 1998 by Pearson Assessment and has recently been superseded by the NEPSY-II (Korkman, Kirk & Kemp, 2007a, 2007b) in 2007.
The original NEPSY contained subtests that assessed basic subcomponents of cognitive abilities while others assessed complex aspects of cognitive capacities. The NEPSY-II has a number of updates and additions. The age range has been extended from 12 to 16 years. The subtests with less clinical sensitivity have been removed e.g. the Tower of London Test, Knock and Tap and Visual Attention. Additional measures have been included such as: Geometric Puzzles, Picture Puzzles, Memory for Designs and Word List Interference. An additional functional domain, 'Social Perception' has also been added.
The largest change is the elimination of a core battery; instead, the authors suggest eight different possible batteries depending on the child's presentation. The subtests are no longer aggregated into overall domain scores like the previous version or the WISC
, but rather each subtest produces a score including process scores, contrast scores and additional cumulative percentages for behavioural observations.
These tests supposedly help detect any underlying deficiencies that may impede a child's learning. Each NEPSY-II test is freestanding, though the results of all of the tests of the original NEPSY could be normed together to provide an overall standardized score for each of the domains.
A comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation can be completed using the full assessment but there is no required set of subtests that must be administered to every child. NEPSY can provide a brief evaluation across all six domains and in-depth assessment based on referral problems/questions or diagnostic concerns. NEPSY allows for selective assessment enabling the selection of certain subtests based on clinical need which helps reduce testing time.
Validity Studies were carried out with NEPSY, WISC-IV, DAS—IIII, WNV, WIAT—IIII, CMS, DKEFS, BBCS:3R, DSMD, ABAS—II, Brown ADD Scales and CCC-2.
Neuropsychological test
Neuropsychological tests are specifically designed tasks used to measure a psychological function known to be linked to a particular brain structure or pathway. Tests are used for research into brain function and in a clinical setting for the diagnosis of deficits. They usually involve the...
s authored by Marit Korkman, Ursula Kirk and Sally Kemp, that are used in various combinations to assess neuropsychological development in children ages 3–16 years in six functional domains. NEPSY was designed to assess both basic and complex aspects of cognition critical to children’s ability to learn and be productive in and outside of, school settings. It is designed to test cognitive functions not typically covered by general ability or achievement batteries. The original NEPSY (Korkman, Kirk & Fellman, 1998) was published in 1998 by Pearson Assessment and has recently been superseded by the NEPSY-II (Korkman, Kirk & Kemp, 2007a, 2007b) in 2007.
History
Pediatric neuropsychological assessments evolved from knowledge and experience from the assessment of adults with brain damage. Consequently early tests were not specifically designed with children in mind and were often normed on small samples of children. The development of the NEPSY was revolutionary as it was specifically designed for the purpose of testing children. The NEPSY is grounded in developmental and neuropsychological theory and practice. The diagnostic approach originated in the Lurian approach to assessment (Luria, 1973, 1980).The original NEPSY contained subtests that assessed basic subcomponents of cognitive abilities while others assessed complex aspects of cognitive capacities. The NEPSY-II has a number of updates and additions. The age range has been extended from 12 to 16 years. The subtests with less clinical sensitivity have been removed e.g. the Tower of London Test, Knock and Tap and Visual Attention. Additional measures have been included such as: Geometric Puzzles, Picture Puzzles, Memory for Designs and Word List Interference. An additional functional domain, 'Social Perception' has also been added.
The largest change is the elimination of a core battery; instead, the authors suggest eight different possible batteries depending on the child's presentation. The subtests are no longer aggregated into overall domain scores like the previous version or the WISC
Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children
The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children , developed by Dr. David Wechsler, is an individually administered intelligence test for children between the ages of 6 and 16 inclusive that can be completed without reading or writing...
, but rather each subtest produces a score including process scores, contrast scores and additional cumulative percentages for behavioural observations.
Test Format
The six functional domains below are made up of 32 subtests and four delayed tasks. These domains are theoretically not statistically derived. The subtests were designed to assess cognitive abilities related to disorders that are typically diagnosed in childhood and that are required for success in an academic environment.- AttentionAttentionAttention is the cognitive process of paying attention to one aspect of the environment while ignoring others. Attention is one of the most intensely studied topics within psychology and cognitive neuroscience....
and Executive Functions - inhibition, self-regulation, monitoring, vigilance, selective and sustained attention, maintenance of response set, planning, flexibility in thinking and figural fluency. Subtests: Animal Sorting, Auditory Attention, Response Set, Clocks, Design Fluency, Inhibition & Statue. - LanguageLanguageLanguage may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
and Communication - phonological processing, receptive language, expressive naming, verbal fluency and rhythmic oral motor sequences. Subtests: Body Part Naming and Identification, Comprehension of Instructions, Oromotor Sequences, Phonological Processing, Repetition of Nonsense Words, Speeded Naming & Word Generation. - Sensorimotor Functions - tactile sensory input, fine motor speed, imitative hand functions, rhythmic and sequential movements and visuomotor precision. Subtests: Fingertip Tapping, Imitating Hand Positions, Manual Motor Sequences & Visuomotor Precision.
- Visuospatial Functions - the ability to judge position and directionality, copying of 2-dimensional and the reconstruction of 3-dimensional designs. Subtests: Arrows, Block Construction, Design Copying, Geometric Puzzles, Picture Puzzles & Route Finding.
- LearningLearningLearning is acquiring new or modifying existing knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, or preferences and may involve synthesizing different types of information. The ability to learn is possessed by humans, animals and some machines. Progress over time tends to follow learning curves.Human learning...
and MemoryMemoryIn psychology, memory is an organism's ability to store, retain, and recall information and experiences. Traditional studies of memory began in the fields of philosophy, including techniques of artificially enhancing memory....
- memory for words, sentences and faces, immediate and delayed list learning, memory for names and narrative memory under free- and cued-recall conditions. Subtests: List Memory, Memory for Designs, Memory for Faces, Memory for Names, Narrative Memory, Sentence Repetition & Word List Interference. - Social Perception (added in the NEPSY-II) - the ability to recognize emotions, to guess what another person is thinking and feeling, empathy. Subtests: Affect Recognition & Theory of Mind.
These tests supposedly help detect any underlying deficiencies that may impede a child's learning. Each NEPSY-II test is freestanding, though the results of all of the tests of the original NEPSY could be normed together to provide an overall standardized score for each of the domains.
A comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation can be completed using the full assessment but there is no required set of subtests that must be administered to every child. NEPSY can provide a brief evaluation across all six domains and in-depth assessment based on referral problems/questions or diagnostic concerns. NEPSY allows for selective assessment enabling the selection of certain subtests based on clinical need which helps reduce testing time.
Psychometric Properties
Up-to-date psychometric norms are based on the standardization of over 1,000 children tested throughout the United States, which enables the comparison of a child's performance to others in the appropriate age group. Several special group studies are included in the NEPSY-II. These groups consisted of 260 children with a variety of conditions including: ADHD, reading disorders, language disorder, autistic disorder, Asperger’s disorder, traumatic brain disorder, mathematics disorder, emotionally disturbed, mild intellectual disability. These groups were selected as they have known or presumed deficits in neuropsychological functioning.Validity Studies were carried out with NEPSY, WISC-IV, DAS—IIII, WNV, WIAT—IIII, CMS, DKEFS, BBCS:3R, DSMD, ABAS—II, Brown ADD Scales and CCC-2.
Translations
NEPSY has been translated or adapted into a number of languages including: Dutch/Flemish, French (Europe), Norwegian, Portuguese (Brazil), Romanian and Swedish.See also
- Tower of London TestTower of London TestThe Tower of London test is a well-known test used in applied clinical neuropsychology for the assessment of executive functioning specifically to detect deficits in planning, which may occur due to a variety of medical and neuropsychiatric conditions...
- Wechsler Intelligence Scale for ChildrenWechsler Intelligence Scale for ChildrenThe Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children , developed by Dr. David Wechsler, is an individually administered intelligence test for children between the ages of 6 and 16 inclusive that can be completed without reading or writing...
- Alexander LuriaAlexander LuriaAlexander Romanovich Luria was a famous Soviet neuropsychologist and developmental psychologist. He was one of the founders of neuropsychology and the jointly led the Vygotsky Circle.- Biography :...
- Pearson Assessment
- Neuropsychological assessmentNeuropsychological assessmentNeuropsychological assessment was traditionally carried out to assess the extent of impairment to a particular skill and to attempt to locate an area of the brain which may have been damaged after brain injury or neurological illness...