One of the most popular questions that I have been seeing lately from either new Speech Language Pathologists or Speech Language Pathologists who have recently changed settings is “What assessments are everyone using?”
Such a simple, yet very valid question, especially as SLPs attempt to capture information they need to capture about their patients’ current statuses. While several neuro-rehab related standardized assessments are dated (and some even culturally insensitive), there are a few assessments that I find myself turning to more often these days. As always, it is imperative to combine these standardized tests with informal assessments, patient reported outcome measures, and motivational interviews. But if you “need numbers” from a standardized test, these can do the trick and provide helpful information for guiding intervention.
So, let's just take a look at some of the standardized assessments that I use pretty much weekly. CAVEAT: These are not tests I “recommend” that every Speech Language Pathologist use, but these are the standardized tests that are working for me right now in my CURRENT SETTING (Brain Injury Clinic) with my CURRENT POPULATION (primarily cognitive-communication concerns). Remember to use your own clinical decision making when selecting standardized tests.
Test of Everyday Attention (TEA)
Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS)
Test of Memory & Learning, Second Edition (TOMAL-2)
Hopkins Verbal Learning Test (HVLT)
The D-KEFS Verbal Fluency Test (VF)
Test of Adolescent & Adult Word Finding, Second Edition (TAWF-2)
Functional Assessment for Verbal Reasoning and Executive Strategies (FAVRES)
Scales of Cognitive and Communicative Ability for Neurorehabilitation (SCCAN)
Woodcock Johnson Test of Cognitive Abilities
*NOTE: List does not include tests of aphasia
Let me know in the comments:
1.) What standardized tests (Cognitive-Communication) are you using the most often in your current clinical setting?
2.) What improvements in specific tests would you like to see?
3.) Are there any specific tests that you wish you had that would capture important information from your current patient population?
As always, have some great therapy sessions!
-Dana (The Neuro SLP)
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