Following international trends while subject to past traditions: neuropsychological test use in the Nordic countries.
OBJECTIVE
Historically, the neuropsychological test traditions of the four Nordic countries have spanned from the flexible and qualitative tradition of Luria-Christensen to the quantitative large battery approach of Halstead and Kløve-Matthews. This study reports current test use and discusses whether these traditions still influence attitudes toward test use and choice of tests.


METHODS
The study is based on survey data from 702 Nordic neuropsychologists.


RESULTS
The average participant used 9 tests in a standard assessment, and 25 tests overall in their practice. Test use was moderated by nationality, competence level, practice profile, and by attitude toward test selection. Participants who chose their tests flexibly used fewer tests than those adhering to the flexible battery approach, but had fewer tests from which to choose. Testing patients with psychiatric disorders was associated with using more tests. IQ, memory, attention, and executive function were the domains with the largest utilization rate, while tests of motor, visual/spatial, and language were used by few. There is a lack of academic achievement tests. Screening tests played a minor role in specialized assessments, and symptom validity tests were seldom applied on a standard basis. Most tests were of Anglo-American origin.


CONCLUSIONS
New test methods are implemented rapidly in the Nordic countries, but test selection is also characterized by the dominating position of established and much researched tests. The Halstead-Reitan and Luria traditions are currently weak, but national differences in size of test batteries seem to be influenced by these longstanding traditions.
a Division of Mental Health & Addiction, Department of Research , Vestfold Hospital Trust , Tønsberg , Norway.|b Department of Psychology , University of Oslo , Oslo , Norway.
Jens
J
Egeland
b Department of Psychology , University of Oslo , Oslo , Norway.|c Research Department , Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital , Nesoddtangen , Norway.
Marianne
M
Løvstad
d Department of Neurology , Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital , Copenhagen , Denmark.
Anne
A
Norup
e Clinical Neurosciences, Neuropsychology , University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital , Helsinki , Finland.
Taina
T
Nybo
f Department of Psychology , Linnaeus University , Växjö , Sweden.
Bengt A
BA
Persson
g Faculty of Health Sciences , Surcolombiana University , Neiva , Colombia.
Diego Fernando
DF
Rivera
b Department of Psychology , University of Oslo , Oslo , Norway.|c Research Department , Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital , Nesoddtangen , Norway.
Anne-Kristine
AK
Schanke
c Research Department , Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital , Nesoddtangen , Norway.|h Faculty of Medicine , CHARM, University of Oslo , Oslo , Norway.
Solrun
S
Sigurdardottir
i Cruces University Hospital, BioCruces Health Research Institute , Barakaldo , Spain.|j Basque Foundation for Science , IKERBASQUE, University of Deusto , Bilbao , Spain.
Juan Carlos
JC
Arango-Lasprilla
D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D038622:Internationality; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012537:Scandinavian and Nordic Countries / Q000453:epidemiology
Halstead–Reitan; Luria; Nordic neuropscychology; clinical practice; test use