Teleneuropsychology: A model for clinical practice.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted psychological services across the United States. In recent years, there has been research and discussion regarding the provision of telehealth services but little research on remote psychological assessments involving children and adolescents. However, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, many psychologists and neuropsychologists have had to shift to a remote assessment format. Given the rapid transition to telehealth and teleneuropsychological assessment, several organizations including the American Psychological Association (APA) and the Inter Organizational Practice Committee (IOPC) published a series of guidelines for clinicians. The article presents a brief review of current research on remote pediatric psychological assessments and professional and ethical practices developed by the APA and IOPC as well as a model of practice, based on these recommendations, for teleneuropsychological assessment in a large children's hospital. In addition, we present practical professional and ethical issues that were addressed in our rapid rollout of teleneuropsychological assessments since March 2020. We also discuss future directions for research that integrates professional best practices with the ever-changing landscape of remote neuropsychological assessment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved) Impact Statement Clinical Impact Statement -This article describes the approach one pediatric neuropsychology department has taken to conduct evaluations through telehealth. A detailed systematic approach to pediatric teleneuropsychological evaluations from provider to patient homes is outlined, and professional and ethical practices developed by professional organizations are summarized. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)