What is a neuropsychological assessment?
A neuropsychological assessment examines the relationship between brain functioning and cognitive abilities, including thinking, behaviour, and emotional wellbeing. It provides a comprehensive understanding of an individual’s cognitive profile, identifying strengths, areas of difficulty, and how these impact everyday functioning across home, school, and work environments.
Assessments typically evaluate attention, memory, language, problem-solving, planning and organisation, intellectual functioning, socio-emotional skills, and visuospatial abilities. The process is tailored to each individual based on their presenting concerns, developmental history, and clinical observations.
Neuropsychological assessments are suitable for children, adolescents, and adults, and assist with diagnostic clarification, understanding developmental or acquired difficulties, and guiding targeted intervention and support planning.
Areas of neuropsychological assessment
A neuropsychological assessment may be recommended for a range of cognitive, developmental, and neurological concerns.
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can affect attention, organisation, impulse control, time management, and emotional regulation across the lifespan. In children, this may present as difficulties with attention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and completing tasks. In adults, challenges often include focus, productivity, organisation, and emotional regulation. Assessment helps clarify diagnosis and differentiate ADHD from other conditions affecting executive functioning.
Where appropriate, intervention and strategy-based support can be provided, with collaboration across referrers and relevant professionals to support implementation in everyday settings.
Autism
Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition affecting social communication, behaviour, and sensory processing. In children, this may include differences in social interaction, communication, and play. In adults, it may present as differences in social communication, sensory sensitivities, preference for routine, and focused interests. Assessment supports understanding and guides appropriate interventions and supports.
Our team can provide tailored intervention and work collaboratively with families, schools, and other professionals to support consistent and practical implementation of recommendations.
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) involves neurodevelopmental differences associated with prenatal alcohol exposure and may impact learning, memory, attention, impulse control, and emotional regulation. Assessment helps identify patterns of cognitive strengths and challenges and informs appropriate supports and interventions.
Our Clinical Neuropsychologists and Clinical Psychologists provide tailored intervention and neurocognitive rehabilitation to support functional outcomes. We adopt a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach, working closely with general practitioners, paediatricians, and allied health professionals to ensure coordinated care across home, school, and community settings.
Learning Difficulties
Learning difficulties can affect reading, writing, mathematics, and information processing. In children, this may include conditions such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, and dyspraxia. In adults, longstanding challenges may reflect previously unidentified neurodevelopmental differences. Assessment helps clarify cognitive profiles and guide practical strategies for education, work, and daily functioning.
Recommendations are practical and individualised, with collaboration where appropriate to support implementation within educational or workplace settings.
Giftedness and Educational Assessment in Children
Giftedness refers to advanced cognitive or academic abilities. Educational assessments can also identify learning difficulties and developmental differences. Results inform school supports, learning plans, and appropriate educational opportunities.
Bowyer Psychology can liaise directly with schools and educators to support implementation of recommendations and optimise educational outcomes.
Cognitive Difficulties
Difficulties with memory, attention, language, problem-solving, and planning may arise from medical, neurological, or psychological factors. Assessment clarifies the nature and severity of these challenges and identifies strategies to support everyday functioning.
Ongoing support and intervention may be provided, with liaison with referrers and relevant professionals to ensure coordinated and effective care.
Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Brain injury may occur as a result of trauma or medical factors. Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) results from an external force, such as a blow or impact to the head. Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) refers more broadly to any injury to the brain occurring after birth, including causes such as stroke, infection, lack of oxygen, or substance use.
Brain injuries can affect memory, attention, behaviour, emotional regulation, and problem-solving abilities, depending on the areas of the brain involved. Neuropsychological assessment helps identify the specific cognitive and functional impacts of the injury and guides rehabilitation and support planning.
Our Clinical Neuropsychologists and Clinical Psychologists provide individualised neurocognitive rehabilitation, focusing on practical, evidence-based strategies to support recovery and improve everyday functioning. We work collaboratively with medical professionals and allied health providers to ensure coordinated care and continuity of support.
Brain Tumours
Brain tumours are abnormal growths within the brain that may affect cognitive functioning depending on their size and location. Assessment helps identify cognitive impacts and supports treatment and rehabilitation planning.
We work collaboratively with medical teams and allied health providers to support treatment planning and functional outcomes.
Neurological Conditions
Neurological conditions affecting the brain and nervous system (such as seizures or other disorders) may impact cognition, behaviour, and daily functioning. Assessment helps determine functional impact and guide care.
Recommendations are tailored to the individual, with liaison across relevant professionals to support coordinated management.
Neurodegenerative Disorders in Adults
Neurodegenerative disorders involve progressive changes in brain functioning, including conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, Frontotemporal Dementia, and Vascular Dementia. Assessment supports early identification, diagnosis, and management planning.
Recommendations focus on maintaining independence and quality of life, with collaboration across medical and support services to assist with ongoing care needs.
Functional Neurological and Cognitive Disorders in Adults
Functional neurological and cognitive disorders involve symptoms not explained by structural brain damage. Functional neurological symptoms may include tremors, weakness, seizures, or movement difficulties, while functional cognitive symptoms typically affect memory, attention, and thinking. Assessment helps understand contributing factors and guide treatment.
Where appropriate, intervention is provided alongside collaboration with treating professionals to support a consistent and integrated approach to care.
Genetic Conditions
Genetic conditions (such as Huntington’s disease, muscular dystrophy, or Tay-Sachs disease) may affect development, learning, and neurological functioning. Assessment helps identify cognitive strengths and challenges and guide appropriate support.
We work collaboratively with families and healthcare providers to ensure recommendations are practical and aligned with broader care needs.
Adult neuropsychological
assessments
Neuropsychological assessments help identify how brain functioning affects thinking, behaviour, emotions, and everyday functioning. In adults, these assessments are commonly used to clarify diagnoses, understand cognitive strengths and difficulties, and guide treatment or support planning. They can assist with identifying lifelong neurodevelopmental conditions, changes related to injury or illness, and concerns about memory or cognitive decline.
Child & adolescent neuropsychological assessments
Neuropsychological assessments help identify how a child or adolescent’s brain development may be affecting their learning, behaviour, attention, and emotional functioning. Early identification of difficulties allows families, schools, and clinicians to implement appropriate strategies and supports. Assessments may be recommended for a range of developmental, learning, or neurological concerns.
The neuropsychological assessment process
At Bowyer Psychology, neuropsychological assessments are conducted by an experienced multidisciplinary team of clinical neuropsychologists, clinical psychologists, speech pathologists, and paediatricians within a supportive, structured, and evidence-based framework. The process begins with an initial consultation to understand concerns and gather relevant developmental, medical, and educational history, followed by an individualised assessment plan.
Assessment is completed over one or more sessions using standardised measures, questionnaires, and review of relevant documentation. A comprehensive report is then prepared outlining the individual’s cognitive profile, diagnostic considerations, and practical recommendations. A feedback session is provided to explain the findings and discuss next steps. Reports are suitable for use with services such as the NDIS, government agencies (including the Department of Justice and Department of Communities), and medico-legal matters, including Insurance Commission of Western Australia (ICWA) claims.
