The critical role for neuropsychologists in the assessment and diagnosis of learning disorders: a position paper from the National Academy of Neuropsychology position, education, and response committee.

Abstract

Learning disorders are common neurodevelopmental disorders that affect cognitive functioning across the lifespan and frequently co-occur with medical and psychiatric conditions. This updated position paper from National Academy of Neuropsychology (NAN)'s Position, Education, and Response Committee discusses the role of neuropsychologists in identifying and diagnosing learning disorders. The history of learning disorders is reviewed, along with key legislation related to special education services and disability accommodations. Recent neuroscience, genetics, and education research related to learning disorders is integrated to outline current challenges and future goals for training, clinical practice, and advocacy. Key recommendations for neuropsychologists related to the assessment of learning disorders are detailed, including routine screening, understanding the interface between neuropsychological evaluations and laws regulating access to special education services and disability accommodations, advocacy for insurance coverage, and training in assessment of learning disorders and appropriate interventions. The paper also highlights the incremental value of neuropsychological assessment in complex cases, including differential diagnosis, identification of co-occurring neurodevelopmental, psychiatric, and medical conditions, clarification of mechanisms underlying poor academic performance, and development of individualized intervention recommendations when school-based evaluation or response to intervention is insufficient. Clinical neuropsychologists are uniquely positioned to advance the science and assessment of learning disorders by integrating academic findings with developmental, cognitive, psychiatric, and medical information to clarify why a student is struggling and to guide individualized treatment planning. Such efforts have the potential to reduce disparities that confer increased risk for lifelong neuropsychological challenges.