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Outcomes of pediatric neuropsychological services: A systematic review
Evelyn L Fisher1, Eric Zimak1, Andrea R Sherwood1
1University of New Mexico Hospitals, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
Insights
This systematic review found parents were satisfied with pediatric neuropsychological services, noting clinician empathy. However, actual help provided was less frequently reported, indicating areas for improvement in child outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neuropsychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Systematic Review Methodology
Background:
- Pediatric neuropsychological services are crucial for assessing and managing cognitive, emotional, and behavioral issues in children.
- Synthesizing the outcomes of these services is essential for evidence-based practice and identifying research priorities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and synthesize the existing literature on the outcomes of pediatric neuropsychological services.
- To identify gaps in current research and propose future research directions.
Main Methods:
- A rigorous search strategy was employed to identify relevant studies.
- Data on methodological variables were collected, and risk of bias was assessed.
- Findings were summarized by topic, focusing on patient satisfaction, resource utilization, and changes in child symptoms or functioning.
Main Results:
- The review included 26 records involving 974 children. Parents reported general satisfaction and high clinician empathy but less frequently perceived direct help.
- Home and school-based strategies were commonly recommended and implemented.
- Limited research suggests potential improvements in child symptoms and functioning.
Conclusions:
- This is the first systematic review of pediatric neuropsychological service outcomes.
- Larger, longitudinal studies are needed to elucidate outcome mechanisms and identify targets for service enhancement.
Abstract:
Objective: The primary aim of this project was to apply systematic review methods to synthesize the literature on outcomes of pediatric neuropsychological services. The secondary aim was to use the results of the systematic review to identify gaps in the extant literature and describe priorities for future research. Method: We identified the relevant studies using a rigorous search strategy, collected data on methodological variables, assessed the risk of bias in the studies, summarized findings by topic and subtopic areas, identified strengths and weaknesses of the literature, and provided recommendations for future research. The outcomes measured were satisfaction, changes in resource or strategy utilization, and changes in symptoms or functioning (i.e. changes in child emotional, behavioral, cognitive, or academic problems, parent stress, or family functioning). Results: The final sources of data were 26 records, pertaining to a total of 974 children who received neuropsychological services. Parents were generally satisfied with services and reported high clinician empathy and increased level of knowledge, based on the evaluation. However, they reported less often that the neuropsychologist provided actual help. Informal home and school-based strategies were implemented more often than other types of recommendations. The research on changes in child symptoms and functioning was limited, but suggests improvements. Conclusions: This is the first systematic review of outcomes of pediatric neuropsychological services. Larger studies involving data collection at multiple time points are needed in order to further clarify mechanisms leading to outcomes and potential targets for improving them.
