The end of 2021 was a busy time for many people, and I certainly felt like December came and went in a flash! One exciting piece of news I’d like to share is that my book, “A Neuropsychologist’s Guide to Training Psychometrists: Promoting Competence in Psychological Testing” was released on December 13, 2021. Primarily written for fellow neuropsychologists or professionals engaging in psychological testing, this book is the first to outline training strategies and minimum standards of competence for psychometrists.
What is a psychometrist?
You might not have heard the term “psychometrist” unless you happened to work with one during a neuropsychological evaluation. A psychometrist is an individual who administers and scores tests given as part of a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation. Think of these individuals as analogous to an EEG technician- they collect the data that is then interpreted by the doctor. A psychometrist is not licensed, but rather works under the license of their attending neuropsychologist. Psychometrists have worked with neuropsychologists since the early 1900s, and nearly half of all board certified neuropsychologists hire psychometrists to work in their practices.
Do you use psychometrists?
A question I am asked somewhat frequently is whether or not I employ psychometrists in my practice, especially given that now I wrote the training manual. I have worked with quite a few wonderful psychometrists in hospital and private practice settings. These individuals were diligently trained and a delight to work with, but in my own practice, I do not currently have any psychometrists on staff. Quite simply, I enjoy test administration, and I find that I gather just as much data from observing my clients during testing as I do from their final testing scores. So, at least for the foreseeable future, I conduct all testing myself.
So Why Write the Training Manual?
The follow up question I am then often asked, is why I would bother to write a training manual if I don’t employ psychometrists in my current practice. I have a passion for training and promoting competence in psychological test administration. The testing data collected during a neuropsychological evaluation is the foundation from which decisions about diagnosis and treatment are made, and thus accurate data is essential. Therefore, I feel it is imperative that these individuals are trained well and our field generally lacked a comprehensive guide for how to structure a training program for these individuals. I also believe we are all lifelong learners, and thus ongoing training is necessary (and discussed in my book).
How do I learn more?
If you are a neuropsychologist who recently hired a psychometrist, my book may be a worthwhile resource. You can also register here to access and download free training materials discussed in my book. I also serve as a consultant to neuropsychologists or institutions training their psychometrists on staff, so feel free to reach out if this pertains to you. My contact information can be found here, or by navigating to the contact page of my website.
How Can I Purchase the Book?
I welcome the opportunity to speak with professionals about the training guidelines outlined in my book, and look forward to sharing additional exciting projects that will be launched in 2022!
To purchase my book through Amazon, please click here.
To view my book on Routledge’s website, please click here.