Last Updated on July 6, 2026 by Dr. Alan Jacobson, Psy.D., MBA
A neuropsychological evaluation is a comprehensive assessment of how your brain’s cognitive systems — attention, memory, language, executive functioning, processing speed, and reasoning — are working, and how they interact with your emotional functioning and daily life. You may see it called a neuropsychological evaluation, neuropsychological testing, or a neuropsych exam; these terms describe the same process. At Precision Psychological Assessments, evaluations are available virtually in 40+ states through PSYPACT, as well as in person.
What a Neuropsychological Evaluation Measures
Rather than a single test, a neuropsychological evaluation is a battery of standardized measures selected for your specific questions and concerns. Depending on the referral question, the battery typically samples:
- Attention and concentration — sustained, selective, and divided attention
- Executive functioning — planning, organization, cognitive flexibility, impulse control
- Memory — verbal and visual learning, retention, and retrieval
- Language — comprehension, naming, verbal fluency
- Processing speed — how efficiently you take in and respond to information
- Reasoning and intellectual functioning — verbal and nonverbal problem-solving
- Emotional and personality functioning — mood, anxiety, and psychological factors that shape cognition
The result is a cognitive profile: a map of relative strengths and weaknesses that explains why you’re experiencing difficulties, not just that you are.
When a Neuropsychological Evaluation Helps
People pursue neuropsychological testing for many reasons. The most common include:
- Diagnostic clarity — distinguishing ADHD from anxiety, depression from a learning difference, or clarifying overlapping conditions
- Treatment planning — giving therapists, psychiatrists, and physicians a precise picture of cognitive functioning to guide care
- Developmental questions — ADHD, autism spectrum, and learning disorders in older teens and adults
- Academic and workplace accommodations — documentation for extended time and other supports in college, graduate school, standardized testing, and employment
- Monitoring change over time — establishing a baseline and tracking cognitive functioning across treatment or life transitions
- Forensic and legal contexts — objective cognitive data for legal and administrative proceedings
Conditions We Evaluate
Our practice focuses on psychiatric and developmental presentations: ADHD, autism spectrum, learning disorders, anxiety, depression, and the cognitive effects of psychological conditions — including memory and concentration concerns that stem from mood, stress, or attention rather than neurological disease.
When We Refer Out
Some questions belong in medical settings. If the primary concern is dementia, progressive cognitive decline, traumatic brain injury, stroke, or another neurological condition, we’ll help you find a medically based neuropsychology practice — and we’re glad to point you in the right direction during a free consultation.
Virtual and In-Person Options
Many neuropsychological measures have been validated for remote administration, and research over the past several years supports the reliability of tele-neuropsychology for a wide range of referral questions. Virtual evaluations are conducted over secure video, with tasks administered in real time by a licensed psychologist — not automated screeners. Through PSYPACT, virtual services are available to clients in more than 40 states.
What you need for a virtual evaluation: a quiet, private room; a computer with a webcam (not a phone); a reliable internet connection; and a few uninterrupted blocks of time. If your referral question requires measures that must be given in person, we’ll tell you up front and structure the evaluation accordingly.
The Evaluation Process, Step by Step
- Free consultationWe start with a brief call to understand your questions and confirm that a neuropsychological evaluation — and our practice — is the right fit.
- Clinical interview and historyA thorough intake covering your developmental, academic, medical, and psychological history, plus the concerns that brought you in. Records review and collateral input are included when relevant.
- Test administrationStandardized measures administered one-on-one, virtually or in person, typically across one to two sessions depending on the battery.
- Scoring, interpretation, and reportYour results are scored against normative data and integrated with your history into a comprehensive written report with specific, actionable recommendations.
- Feedback sessionWe walk through the findings together in plain language — what they mean, what to do next, and how to use the report with schools, employers, or treatment providers.
What an Evaluation Looks Like in Practice
Case Example: Adult ADHD
A 34-year-old professional sought testing after years of missed deadlines, difficulty sustaining focus in meetings, and a sense of working twice as hard as her colleagues for the same output. Testing revealed strong reasoning and verbal abilities alongside significant weaknesses in sustained attention, working memory, and processing speed — a profile consistent with ADHD rather than anxiety, which had been the working assumption. The report supported both targeted treatment and workplace accommodations, and gave her a framework for understanding a lifetime of “underachievement” that was never about effort. (Details are illustrative and do not describe an actual client.)
Case Example: Depression and Memory Concerns
A 52-year-old client came in worried that his increasing forgetfulness signaled early dementia. Testing showed intact memory storage and recognition, with inefficiencies concentrated in attention and retrieval — the signature of depression’s effect on cognition rather than a neurodegenerative process. The evaluation redirected his care toward treating the depression, established a cognitive baseline for future comparison, and replaced months of escalating worry with a clear explanation and plan. (Details are illustrative and do not describe an actual client.)
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between a neuropsychological evaluation and neuropsychological testing?
In practice, nothing — the terms are used interchangeably. Technically, “testing” refers to the standardized measures themselves, while “evaluation” describes the full process: clinical interview, test administration, interpretation, written report, and feedback. Every evaluation at our practice includes all of these components.
Can neuropsychological testing really be done virtually?
Yes. Many standardized measures have been validated for remote administration, and tele-neuropsychology research supports its reliability for common referral questions like ADHD, learning disorders, anxiety, and depression. Virtual testing is administered live by a licensed psychologist over secure video. If your specific question requires in-person measures, we’ll tell you before scheduling.
How long does a neuropsychological evaluation take?
Plan on a clinical interview of about an hour, testing sessions totaling several hours (often split across one to two appointments), and a feedback session to review results. The comprehensive written report typically follows within a few weeks of testing.
What conditions can a neuropsychological evaluation diagnose?
Our evaluations commonly clarify ADHD, autism spectrum conditions, learning disorders, anxiety, and depression — including cases where symptoms overlap and the diagnostic picture is murky. Testing is especially valuable for distinguishing conditions that look similar on the surface, such as ADHD versus anxiety, or depression-related memory problems versus neurological decline.
Do you evaluate for dementia or traumatic brain injury?
No. Concerns centered on dementia, progressive cognitive decline, TBI, stroke, or other neurological disease are best served in medically based neuropsychology settings, and we’re happy to help you find the right referral. Our practice focuses on psychiatric and developmental presentations.
Will I receive a written report?
Yes. Every evaluation includes a comprehensive written report integrating your history, test results, diagnostic conclusions, and specific recommendations. The report is written to be usable — with schools, testing agencies, employers, and treatment providers — and we review it with you in a dedicated feedback session.
How should I prepare for testing?
Get a normal night’s sleep, eat beforehand, and bring or wear glasses or hearing aids if you use them. If you take medication that affects attention or cognition, discuss with your psychologist ahead of time whether to take it on testing day, since this depends on the referral question. For virtual sessions, set up in a quiet, private room with a computer and stable internet.
Get Answers, Not Just Scores
Start with a free consultation to talk through your questions and find out whether a neuropsychological evaluation is the right next step — virtually in 40+ states or in person.
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