Screening for organicity: the problem of subtle neuropsychological deficit and diagnosis

Considered the clinical efficacy of a promising test used to screen for organic brain dysfunction in adults by applying that measure to several types of epileptic patient samples (N = 60) in comparison to control Ss (N = 15). Results indicate that the Canter Background Interference Procedure for the Bender-Gestalt Test cannot differentiate such neurological groups from controls and that its hit rate in such diagnostic situations is disappointingly low. The issue of assessing subtle yet significant disorders is discussed with recommendations to consider the nature of the referral question and aspects of the patient's history in deciding upon appropriate test applications and to maintain a flexible approach in neuropsychological differential evaluations.