CHALLENGES FOR NEUROPSYCHOLOGY IN THE TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION OFBRAIN-INJURED PATIENTS

This article examines how the treatment of brain damage has evolved to its present form, and how neuropsychologists may be expected to deal with the challenges of providing it. This article describes how neurop sychology became involved in the treatment process. In this context, t he authors considered historical factors that brought neuropsychologic al rehabilitation (NPR) from a purely psychotherapeutic enterprise int o full participation in the direct-care process. The authors cover thi s process by which neuropsychologists put brain-behavior rehabilitatio n into practice in some detail. Prototypic research discussed in this article has served as a basis for consideration of parameters of measu rement, estimation of the validity of treatment approaches, and projec tions about future study. The authors conclude that treatment approach es in NPR may remain unclear without development of a more cohesive, w ell-defined, and economically feasible role of the neuropsychologist i n this clinical setting.