In defense of the Halstead Reitan Battery: a critique of Lezak's review

Since many neuropsychologists utilize the Halstead Reitan Battery (HRB), it is important to answer a critical review contained in Lezak's (1995) book. Lezak understands hypothesis testing but not HRB pattern analysis or the use of fixed batteries. A fixed battery provides a constant background, which reveals individual characteristics of the patient. Issues discussed include, types of batteries, legitimate review methods, and Reitan's method. This writing demonstrates that almost all of Lezak's criticisms of either the HRB or the Halstead Russell Neuropsychological Evaluation System (HRNES) are either incomplete, misleading or erroneous. Her critique of the Reitan method involved a confusion of terms. In spite of attempts to discredit the HRB not a single sound study questioning the validity of the HRB was presented, while many studies have demonstrated its validity. The fallacy of nonrefutation asserts that it is a fallacy to condemn methods that have been validated while recommending procedures that have not been validated. Lezak questions Reitan's method, the HRB and the HRNES, which have been thoroughly validated, while presenting no validating studies of her own recommended methods.