Clinical neuropsychologists frequently evaluate individuals within a forensic context, and therefore must address questions regarding the possible presence of reduced effort, response bias and/or malingering. This volume offers a wide range of instructive real-world case examples involving the complex differential diagnosis where symptom exaggeration and/or malingering cloud the picture. Written by expert forensic neuropsychologists, the scenarios described provide informed, empirically-based and scientifically-derived opinions on the topic. Issues related to malingering, such as response bias and insufficient effort, are discussed thoroughly with regard to a large number of clinical conditions and assessment instruments. Test data and non-test information are considered and integrated by the numerous experts. Expert guidance for clinicians who must address the issue of malingering is provided in a straightforward and well-organized format. To date, there has not been a comparable collection of rich case material relevant to forensic practice in clinical neuropsychology.

Casebook of Clinical Neuropsychology features actual clinical neuropsychological cases drawn from leading experts' files. Each chapter represents a different case completed by a different expert. Cases cover the lifespan from child, to adult, to geriatric, and the types of cases will represent a broad spectrum of prototypical cases of well-known and well-documented disorders as well as some rarer disorders. Chapter authors were specifically chosen for their expertise with particular disorders. When a practitioner is going to see a child or an adult with "X" problem, they can turn to the "case" and find up to date critical information to help them understand the issues related to the diagnosis, a brief synopsis of the literature, the patient's symptom presentation, the evaluation including neuropsychological test results and other results from consultants, along with treatments and recommendations. Clinical cases represent a long-established tradition as a teaching vehicle in the clinical sciences, most prominently in medicine and psychology. Case studies provide the student with actual clinical material - data in the form of observations of the patient, examination/test data, relevant history, and related test results - all of which must be integrated into a diagnostic conclusion and ultimately provide the patient with appropriate recommendations. Critical to this educational/heuristic process is the opportunity for the reader to view the thought processes of the clinician that resulted in the conclusions and recommendations offered. With the science of the disorder as the foundation of this process, readers learn how the integration of multiple sources of data furthers critical thinking skills.

Formal training in clinical neuropsychology introduces trainees to diverse patient populations with a variety of conditions and disorders. Learning to competently apply a structured, fact-finding approach to case conceptualization, differential diagnosis, and treatment planning is an essential goal at all levels of training. This approach provides a valuable exercise and method of examining practitioner competence. The structured approach to case analysis promotes good clinical decision making, and exercises based on such an approach can help prepare clinicians for the oral exams that are a part of board certification. The Neuropsychology Fact-Finding Casebook is a resource for both supervisors and trainees in clinical neuropsychology, as well as for clinicians preparing for board certification. The volume provides 24 compelling and diverse fact-finding cases, one for each month of a two-year residency. Each case is presented in a stepwise fashion: presenting problem and referral question, background information and patient report, behavioral observations, and test findings. At the end of each case, a summary, diagnostic impression, recommendations, and questions are provided to assess, reinforce, and teach core competencies; an outcome section describes what occurred after the full case evaluation is completed; and critical teaching points are discussed. This Casebook is a standardized approach to fact-finding that training programs at various levels can use to help trainees develop such evaluation skills.

Written specifically for the clinical neuropsychologist who does forensic consultations, the book is a comprehensive review by experts of the procedures available to evaluate malingered neuropsychological deficits. It discusses tools for detecting atypical patterns of performance on standard clinical tests as well as malingering on measures of perception and sensorimotor function, of attention, processing speed, and memory, and of executive function. The underpinnings of the forensic neuropsychology enterprise are presented in chapters on definitions of malingering, research designs for its evaluation, data on the frequency with which malingering occurs, diagnostic classification statistics, symptom validity tests that do not depend on forced choice testing, and those that do. Guidance on assessing exaggerated psychiatric symptoms; exaggerated medical symptoms and injuries; and detecting malingering during the neurological exam is also included. Of particular note is a chapter devoted to the topic of coaching. The book closes with a review of the diagnostic criteria for malingering and looks to the future with evidence-based proposals for improving the criteria.

Featuring compelling case presentations from experienced neuropsychologists, this volume offers a window into the complexities of conducting forensic assessments and serving as an expert witness. Covering both the civil and criminal arenas, the contributors demonstrate evidence-based procedures for evaluating premorbid functioning, competency, malingering, and other forensic issues. Each case includes step-by-step details on the clinical interview, behavioral observations, neuropsychological test results, and preparation for deposition or courtroom testimony. The concluding "Ask the Experts" section provides a thought-provoking Q&A on salient professional and ethical issues. An ideal format for translating science to practice, the casebook yields valuable insights on navigating the twists and turns of the legal system.

The Neuropsychology Casebook was developed to fill the existing gap in the cur rent body of literature on clinical neuropsychology. Although texts are available that describe neuropsychological tests and others provide information on syn dromes, this volume provides descriptions of neuropsychological test perform ance for individuals with various syndromes. It was designed to illustrate the process of clinical interpretation of test findings and report writing for the individual case. Our aims are to provide both the student and practicing profes sional with a collection of actual neuropsychological case studies that typify many of the cardinal disorders or syndromes frequently seen by practicing clini cal neuropsychologists. We have not provided an exhaustive survey of case studies representing many of the disorders commonly seen in neuropsychology; rather, we have focused on a few select cases that illustrate some of the more common disorders. This book includes detailed case reports complete with referral questions, historical information, relevant neuroradiological findings, actual neuropsycho logical test data, and clinical interpretations that take into account all available information on the patient. The cases are discussed in the chapter commentaries with reference to how each compares and contrasts with the prototypic case for that disorder or syndrome. Such case studies help to highlight the various types of behavioral and cognitive sequelae associated with common clinical disorders. The case studies, which are examined through an hypothesis-testing approach, are also aimed at demonstrating how neuropsychological principles and methods are applied.