About / Nov08 / Smith publishes book on therapeutic neuropsychological assessment

November 18, 2008
For immediate release

Steven Smith of UC Santa Barbara’s Gevirtz School publishes new volume on therapeutic neuropsychological assessment

Dr. Steven R. Smith of the Gevirtz School at UC Santa Barbara has just published Collaborative Therapeutic Neuropsychological Assessment (Springer, 2008) with co-author Tad T. Gorske, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine. The clinical knowledge presented in this volume builds on the centrality of assessment in care to signal potent new directions in practice and training. The book’s goal is to overcome perhaps the greatest challenge faced by neuropsychological assessment – its image as a bearer of bad news, i.e., the diagnosis of cognitive impairment. To meet this challenge and better address patient needs, practitioners need to fill the void that too often exists between diagnosis and treatment, starting with exchanging feedback about test results. In Collaborative Therapeutic Neuropsychological Assessment Smith and Gorske have developed methods that expand on traditional information-gathering means to build rapport with patients and let their voices be heard in decision-making: this client-centered approach has shown to lead to more personal interventions, better compliance, and stronger recovery.

In contrast with other books in the field, this reader-friendly volume provides detailed methods and procedures on client feedback as well as assessment, in addition to conceptual and practical basics:

The CTNA model and its underlying assumptions.
The history and development of client-centered feedback in assessment, especially its roots in motivational interviewing.
Empirical literature review, including the latest research on CTNA methods.
Guidelines for conducting collaborative interviews in CTNA.
Basic method for conducting collaborative feedback sessions in CTNA.
Practical suggestions for using CTNA in clinical, rehabilitative, school, and other settings, and adapting the method to specialized populations such as children, the elderly, and minorities.
Case studies illustrating salient concerns and techniques.

Dr. Steven R. Smith joined the faculty of the Gevirtz School as a member of the Department of Counseling, Clinical and School Psychology in July 2004. He directs the Psychology Assessment Center, a clinical research center that provides neuropsychological and personality assessment services to area children and adults. The Center serves as a research and clinical base from which to explore the psychometric correlates of various clinical disorders, both neurocognitive and psychological. Smith earned his B.A. from Beloit College and M.A. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Arkansas. He completed an internship and post-doctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). Following his post-doc, he stayed at MGH for two years, serving as Director of Consultation Neuropsychology and as a staff psychologist in the department of Child Psychiatry.

[Steve Smith is available for interviews; contact George Yatchisin at 805 893 5789]
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Steven Smith of UC Santa Barbara’s Gevirtz School publishes new volume on therapeutic neuropsychological assessment