Factor Similarities Between Traditional Psychoeducational and Neuropsychological Test Batteries

Abstract

Psychoeducational test scores from the clinical records of 360 children were factor analyzed and the results compared to factors cited in the literature as characterizing formal published neuropsychological test batteries such as the Halstead-Reitan and the Luria-Nebraska. The psychoeducational battery yielded five factors: Language, Academic Achievement, Visual Spatial, Attention and Memory, and Motor Speed. It was concluded that traditional psychoeducational test batteries could yield brain-behavior information similar to the neuropsychological batteries and might thus serve a legitimate screening function, enabling the psychoeducational specialist to provide relevant information to the neuropsychologist in referrals.Neuropsychological .batteries have become increasingly popular in determining brain-behavior relationships in children. Whether the purpose of testing is to discriminate brain dysfunctional children from normal children, aid in neurological diagnosis, measure progress, or provide data for designing rehabilitation programs, the assessment must cover a wide range of behaviors. Those behaviors generally include perception, comprehension, attention and memory, problem solving, expression, and motor functions among others. For years, traditional psychological tests have been used to assess many of these same behaviors. Discussion and debate has thus ensued concerning whether selected traditional psychoeducational tests could yield similar brain-behavior information as published neuropsychological batteries (Craig

Factor structure of psychoeducational and neuropsychological measures of learning-disabled children

“…Major loadings were evident for the three subtests of the WRAT; the WISC-R Arithmetic subtest showed a minor loading on this factor. This factor appeared to be similar to achievement factors isolated by Sutter, Bishop, and Battin (1986) and Gamble, Mishra, and Obrzut (1988). Speech Sounds Perception and Trail Making B of the HRNB showed negative loadings on this factor.…”

Visual-spatial dyslexia: A neuropsychological case report.

“…Conceptually, specific tests were included to provide adequate coverage of a broad array of cognitive functions. This was consistent with the neuropsychological model of Rourke et al (1986) and the psychoeducational model offered by Sutter, Bishop, & Battin (1986). The resulting battery for this case report assessed functions across tactile perception, visual perception, auditory perceptual and language, motor and psychomotor abilities, attention and memory, problem-solving and reasoning, and basic academics.…”