Neuropsychology Track | Clinical Psychology PsyD

The goal of the Neuropsychology Track is to provide students with graduate training in neuropsychology that will serve as the foundation for internship and post-doctoral training leading to Board Certification in Clinical Neuropsychology.  The Track is based on the Houston Conference Guidelines for graduate training in neuropsychology https://www.theaacn.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/houston_conference.pdf. All neuropsychology track students have obtained APA approved internships, 95% in either medical schools, VA medical centers, or other large medical centers.  The track consists of three principle components: curriculum, clinical training, and research.

Students in this track can also choose to develop skills specifically related to culturally and linguistically informed work with the Latinx community by participating in the Latino Mental Health experience.

Faculty areas of clinical and research specialization include but are not limited to the following:

  • neuropsychological evaluation,
  • mild head trauma,
  • dementia,
  • forensic evaluation and sports concussion, and
  • ethnopsychopharmacology.

Faculty

Michael Daniel, PhD  - Lead

Eliezer Schwartz, PhD

Curriculum

In addition to the regularly required courses within the general SGP curriculum, the following track -specific courses are required (for full course descriptions see University Catalog):

  • Neuropsychological Assessment + Lab
  • Neuropsychology of Neurological Conditions
  • Neuropsychology of Psychiatric Conditions
  • Neuropsychology of Medical Conditions
  • Neuropsychology Seminar
  • Neurology (PA-590)

Clinical Training

Neuropsychology Assessment Practicum

Students complete a Neuropsychology Assessment Practicum in their 2nd year in the program on an assessment Team within the Pacific Psychology and Comprehensive Health Clinics (our in-house training clinics located in Hillsboro and Portland). Students receive supervision from a Neuropsychology emphasis faculty member.

Practicum I:

Students complete their Practicum I training experience conducting intake assessments and psychotherapy during their 3rd year in the program.  This training takes place at the Pacific Psychology and Comprehensive Health Clinics (our in-house training clinics located in Hillsboro and Portland) where students work with adult clients. During their 3rd year in the program students supplement their Practicum I training with a part-time placement at a community training site focused on neuropsychology.  

Practicum II:

Students complete their Practicum II training experience during their 4th year in the program at a community training site where they gain experience in assessment and/or treatment with adult populations. 

Advanced Practicum:

Neuropsychology track students also complete advanced practicum at a community training site focused on neuropsychological assessment in their 5th year in the program.

Internship:

During their 6th year in the program Neuropsychology emphasis students complete Internship. Internship typically happens during a student’s 5th year in the program. This requires a national application process through the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC; https://www.appic.org/Match/About-The-APPIC-Match). Students should expect to relocate during this year, as competitive neuropsychology sites are located all across the country.  Sites are listed in the APPIC directory (https://www.appic.org/Directory).

Research

Students complete empirical doctoral research projects that involve collection of original data or use of archival data for analysis. Research work formally begins in the summer of the 3rd year of training and must be completed by the time the student starts Internship. The doctoral research project must focus on a topic related to neuropsychology.

Recent Neuropsychology track Student Awards

  • American Psychological Association 2017 Annual Convention. Psychological Assessment Young Scholars Award for: Test-Retest Reliability and False Positive Rate of Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Test (ImPACT).
  • National Academy of Neuropsychology 2017 Annual Convention.  Ted Blau Student Poster Award for: Normal Neuropsychological Test Performance for Spanish Speaking Hispanic and Matched White Older Adults.

Recent Neuropsychology emphasis Research

  • What does Visual Puzzles measure: Factor analysis in a mixed clinical sample. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the 42nd International Neuropsychological Society.
  • Emotional functioning and neuropsychological test performance in juvenile delinquents.  Poster presented at the 12th annual meeting of the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology.
  • Prompting for delayed visuospatial memory: effect on memory test performance.  Poster presented at the 34th annual meeting of the National Academy of Neuropsychology.
  • Depression symptoms’ impact on executive functioning and processing speed in middle aged and older adults.  Poster presented at the 34th annual meeting of the National Academy of Neuropsychology.
  • Substance use and neuropsychological performance in juvenile delinquents. Poster presented at the 34th annual meeting of the National Academy of Neuropsychology.
  • The effects of cultural background and juvenile delinquency on neuropsychological test performance.  Poster presented at the annual 34th meeting of the National Academy of Neuropsychology.
  • Neuropsychological performance and response to prompting for delayed visuospatial memory.  Poster presented at the 43rd annual meeting of the International Neuropsychological Society.
  • The relationship between validity indicators of the Personality Assessment Inventory and the Word Memory Test. Poster presented at the 35th annual meeting of the National Academy of Neuropsychology.
  • The influence of race and depression on processing speed and executive functions in older adults.  Poster presented at the 14th annual meeting of the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology.
  • Ethnic group differences in normal neuropsychological test performance for older adults.   Poster presented at the 36th annual meeting of the National Academy of Neuropsychology.
  • Influence of demographic variables on measures of memory and language in older adults of different races. Poster presented at the 45th annual meeting of the International Neuropsychological Society.
  • Influence of demographic variables on measures of attention and working memory in older adults of different races. Paper presented at the 45th annual meeting of the International Neuropsychological Society.
  • Reliability of Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment of Cognitive Test (ImPACT) with various test-retest interval schedules. Poster presented at the 15th annual meeting of the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology.
  • Test-retest reliability and false positive rate of Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment of Cognitive Test (ImPACT). Poster presented at the 125th annual meeting of the American Psychological Association.
  • The relationship between intelligence and memory in a clinical sample. Poster presented at the 37th annual meeting of the National Academy of Neuropsychology.
  • Demographic and cognitive predictors of auditory-verbal memory test performance in a clinical sample. Poster presented at the 37th annual meeting of the National Academy of Neuropsychology.
  • Neuropsychological and psychological predictors of conversion from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's dementia. Poster presented at the 37th annual meeting of the National Academy of Neuropsychology.
  • MRI white matter hyper-intensities and neuropsychological performance in a clinical sample. Poster presented at the 37th annual meeting of the National Academy of Neuropsychology.
  • Normal neuropsychological test performance for English speaking Hispanic and matched white older adults. Poster presented at the 37th annual meeting of the National Academy of Neuropsychology.
  • Normal neuropsychological test performance for Spanish speaking Hispanic and matched white older adults. Poster presented at the 37th annual meeting of the National Academy of Neuropsychology.
  • Differences in clinical classification using combined ethnic and ethnic specific norms in older adults. Poster presented at the 37th annual meeting of the National Academy of Neuropsychology.

Resources

American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology (https://theaacn.org)

American Psychological Association Division 40:  Society for Clinical Neuropsychology (http://www.apa.org/about/division/div40.aspx)

National Academy of Neuropsychology (https://www.nanonline.org)