Membership as of (January 2015)

The American Board of Pediatric Neuropsychology (ABPdN) was developed in 1996 by a coalition of clinical practitioners representing institutions hiring pediatric neuropsychologists. The original group conceived the board to advance their belief that a unique interplay exists between neurodevelopmental issues and neuropsychological assessment that requires special sets of expertise not readily assessed by then existing boarding entities. Following discussion with colleagues who were members of medical practice and psychology boards, the coalition elected to establish an independent certifying authority. The examination process evolved into a comprehensive and multi-level process that includes a written application including clinical case vignettes used to determine decision-making strategies of the applicant, scope of practice and a thorough assessment of organized training in pediatric neuropsychology (from graduate school to continuing education), written examination, a practice sample submission, and an oral examination. The ABPdN does not have a “grand fathering” policy and thus all existing board members were required to complete all new phases of the examination process to ensure equality of standards among boarded members.

As of early 2015, one hundred and eighty seven (187) neuropsychologists have submitted applications to ABPdN, and one hundred and thirty (130) members have passed the ABPdN examination process. At present, there are ninety-three (93) active and five (5) emeritus members of the board from 28 states, Canada, and Puerto Rico.

Major Areas or Mission Statement

Board certification in pediatric neuropsychology serves to assist consumers by offering supportive evidence of the competence of the pediatric neuropsychologists. The ABPdN is the only board certification organization with the sole purpose of examining and certifying competence in pediatric neuropsychology.

Landmark Contributions

Members of ABPdN practice in a variety of settings include universities, teaching hospitals, general hospitals, hospital trauma centers, private practices, rehabilitation facilities, stroke centers, memory disorders centers, group practices, and child development centers. Current members hold academic affiliations at over 40 colleges and universities including Ivy League institutions and several university medical centers. Publications from members of ABPdN include over 5000 edited books, book chapters, and scholarly articles. Several members have developed tests commonly used in the practice of pediatric and general neuropsychology. Member accomplishments include:

Professional Contributions

  • Two past presidents of APA Division 40

  • Past president of APA Division 2, 5 and 16

  • Current and past presidents of eight state psychology boards

  • Three past presidents of the National Academy of Neuropsychology

  • Two past editors of Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology

  • Current editor of Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology

  • Current editor, Psychological Assessment

  • Current editor, Journal of Attention Disorders

  • Current editor, Journal of Pediatric Neuropsychology

  • Past editor, Journal of School Psychology

  • Past editor, Applied Neuropsychology

  • Eight prescribing psychologists

Major Activities

The American Board of Pediatric Neuropsychology is the board-certifying arm of the American Academy of Pediatric Neuropsychology (AAPN), which is devoted to training and promotion of the field of pediatric neuropsychology. The AAPN holds an annual conference each spring with topics related to the field of pediatric neuropsychology.

The primary activity of ABPdN is conduct of the Board certification process. Board examination through the ABPdN involves several stages. The format of the ABPdN’s examination processes has been constant since the examinations held in 2004, but the procedures continue to be reviewed and amended. The purpose of the ABPdN examination process is to ensure that the examinee has demonstrated competency to practice pediatric neuropsychology. The specific stages are discussed below and more detail can be obtained from the ABPdN Web site (Beljan et al. 2006). The overall pass rate for each stage of the examination process is between 73% and 81%.

Credential Review

Minimum training and education standards include completion of a doctoral degree from a regionally accredited program in applied psychology that was, at the time the degree was granted, accredited by the APA and CPA or was listed in the publication Doctoral Psychology Programs Meeting Designation Criteria (“ASPPB National Register designation committee”,2008). Membership in the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology, the Canadian Register of Health Service Providers, or those holding the Certificate of Professional Qualification qualify as meeting the doctoral requirements for membership. Licensure or certification at the independent practice level as a psychologist in the state, province, or territory in which the psychologist actively practices is also required. The applicant must be practicing as a pediatric neuropsychologist and must have completed an APPIC or APA accredited internship that included a documented rotation or concentration in neuropsychology, and 2 years of postdoctoral supervised experience in neuropsychology, at least 50% of that being pediatric-oriented. In addition, each applicant reviewed by the Board must provide the following:

  1. (A)

    Education

    1. (I)

      Undergraduate degree transcript

    2. (II)

      Graduate degree transcript

    3. (III)

      Internship verification contact information

    4. (IV)

      Postdoctoral residency verification contact information

    5. (V)

      Postdoctoral fellowship verification contact information (if applicable)

    6. (VI)

      Detailed description of training in pediatric neuropsychology (narrative)

  2. (B)

    Continuing Education

    1. (I)

      Verification of CEUs in pediatric neuropsychology for past 3 years

  3. (C)

    Clinical Work

    1. (I)

      Clinical appointment verification contact information

    2. (II)

      Breakdown of clinical practice by age, disorders, and ethnic background

    3. (III)

      Completion of clinical vignettes

  4. (D)

    Educational Appointment (if applicable)

    1. (I)

      Academic institution verification contact information

The application is first reviewed by the examination chair for completion and accuracy of documents and licensure status. The application is then reviewed by a panel of three reviewers. A passing score by two of the three reviewers is required to move to the next stage of the examination. Each reviewer evaluates the application for consistent and thorough training in pediatric neuropsychology at multiple levels of training.

Practice Sample

The purpose of the practice sample is determined by the applicant’s clinical knowledge. While the written examination was designed to assess content-specific knowledge with regard to pediatric neuropsychology, the practice sample allows the board to evaluate the day-to-day skills of the applicant. To that end, the sample should reflect a typical patient seen in the applicant’s clinical practice. Practice samples may include assessment or intervention techniques. After an application is reviewed and the candidate is determined to be board-eligible, they will then be invited to provide a practice sample that reflects their typical work in pediatric neuropsychology. Prior to taking the objective and oral examination, the candidate must prepare and tender one written sample of an original pediatric neuropsychological examination performed solely by the candidate. Appropriate samples may include case analysis/interventions and supervision sessions.

Written Examination

The third step is the written exam, a 100-question, multiple-choice instrument designed and constructed by other pediatric neuropsychologists whose purpose is to assess the candidate’s breadth of knowledge in pediatric neuropsychology. The questions were first assessed for face validity, clustered for content area, rank ordered, deleted or refined, reanalyzed, debated, approved, and then compiled into a larger item pool for random selection by domain each year. A passing score of 70% is required. Each exam includes the following basic core areas:

  • Psychometrics

  • Pediatric Neurosciences

  • Psychological and Neurological Development

  • Neuropsychological and Neurological Diagnostics

  • Ethics and Legal Issues

  • Research Design Review for Clinical Application

  • Intervention Techniques

  • Consultation and Supervisory Practices

Oral Examination

This part of the examination process is comprised of a review of the candidate’s practice sample, the nature and application of neuropsychological knowledge to their current practice, appreciation for ethical issues and obligations, and a review of the candidate’s views and philosophy on pediatric neuropsychology. The oral examination also includes a mock case review, in which the candidate is given information about a fictional case, and they develop and articulate their working hypothesis. The oral examination is intended to be a collegial opportunity for the reviewers to validate the candidate’s ability to “think on their feet” and discern their preparation and readiness for board certification.

The first portion of the oral examination permits the examination team to consider the scope of the candidate’s body of training and how they practice pediatric neuropsychology (e.g., acute care, rehabilitation, outpatient, assessment, and/or treatment) so that the fact-finding and practice sample review can be conducted in the most relevant fashion. This section is broken into two parts:

  • Part I: The examinee will explain their background.

    • The examinee will provide a history of their educational and professional background. Special consideration should be given to their pediatric neuropsychological training and background.

    • The examinee will explain their current role as a pediatric neuropsychologist and the issues their typical clientele present.

  • Part II: The examinee will demonstrate pertinent knowledge of practical pediatric neuropsychology.

  • Part III: Review of the practice sample.

    This segment of the oral examination allows the candidate to present the material in their practice sample and to provide an overview of the history, evaluation process, and outcome of the case. The examiners evaluate their ability to articulate the major findings and their rationale. Candidates discuss their rationale in such areas as:

    1. 1.

      Test selection (if applicable)

      Psychometric properties, test validity/reliability, limitations for use, and exclusion of all competing diagnoses

    2. 2.

      Test interpretation (if applicable)

      Alternate interpretations of findings, conflict resolution within the data, discussion of strengths and weaknesses, and environmental and cultural factors

    3. 3.

      Diagnostic conclusions

      Alternate diagnosis, ultimate understanding of neuropathology, prognosis, progression, lateralizing/localizing effects, pathognomonic signs, causality, environmental conditions, and effects on neural development

    4. 4.

      Recommendations and treatment planning

      Best practices for treatment, availability, prognosis, funding, delivery options, cost/benefit analysis, iatrogenic outcomes, parental compliance/agreement, and ethical issues

    5. 5.

      Consultation and supervision (if applicable)

      Best practices for communication of data, delivery options, supervisee needs/relationships, and rapport/therapeutic relationship

      This process is intended to be collegial and the examiners endeavor to be sensitive to the different and yet equally viable approaches within pediatric neuropsychology. The purpose is to ascertain the candidate’s logic and thought processes and to allow them to demonstrate these skills.

  • Part IV: Fact finding.

  • The purpose of the fact finding portion of the oral examination is to provide the candidate with the opportunity to review a clinical case vignette including history, medical reports, and test data and to generate diagnoses and recommendations for treatment based on that information. The candidate is expected to use relevant information to generate hypotheses regarding the underlying pathology. Candidates will thoughtfully weigh ethical and clinical considerations in the light of the APA ethics principles, professional practice standards, and relevant statutes.

See Also