pnns.org upcoming events

Assessment Considerations for Transgender/Gender Diverse Youth (9 Nov 2026)

Tue, 10 Nov 2026 03:00:00 GMT

Ann Clawson, PhD, ABPP
Empowered Minds Neuropsychology
Olympia, WA

This presentation will review key considerations in the assessment of gender diverse youth, with particular attention to those with co‑occurring autism and gender incongruence. We will outline relevant clinical and neurodevelopmental factors within the context of gender‑affirming care, examine limitations in current measures and normative data, and highlight practical, evidence‑informed tools to strengthen clinical practice.

Objectives:

1) Identify key psychological, neurodevelopmental, and medical factors that inform the assessment of gender diverse youth.

2) Explain the co-occurrence of autism and gender diversity, including lived experiences and neuropsychological considerations relevant to evaluation.

3) Describe evidence-based strategies for implementing a gender-affirming assessment process for youth and their families.

Ann Clawson, PhD, ABPP‑CN, is a board‑certified clinical neuropsychologist and licensed psychologist. She is the owner of Empowered Minds Neuropsychology, a private practice in Lacey, Washington. Dr. Clawson completed her internship in behavioral medicine and neuropsychology at the University of Washington and her postdoctoral fellowship in pediatric neuropsychology at the Kennedy Krieger Institute/Johns Hopkins Hospital. She spent eight years in the neuropsychology department at Children’s National Hospital and served as an assistant professor at George Washington University. She was one of two neuropsychologists in the Gender and Autism Program—the first clinic in the nation dedicated to evaluating and supporting youth with co‑occurring autism and gender diversity. Clinically, Dr. Clawson provides neuropsychological evaluations for youth with a wide range of medical and neurodevelopmental conditions, with specialized expertise in the intersection of autism and gender diversity. She is also an active researcher with 23 peer‑reviewed publications and numerous conference presentations. Her current collaborations include NIH‑ and foundation‑funded projects focused on autism, including investigations of cognitive and neural indices of social learning and psychological profiles of LGBTQ+ autistic individuals.

Measuring Everyday Function in Neuropsychological Practice: Current Approaches and Future Directions (11 Jan 2027)

Tue, 12 Jan 2027 03:00:00 GMT

Maureen Schmitter-Edgecombe, Ph.D.

Washington State University

Pullman, WA

Neuropsychologists are frequently tasked with evaluating functional capacities in everyday life, yet current neuropsychological testing methods are often inadequate for addressing these questions. This presentation will review traditional approaches to functional assessment, including self-report instruments, informant ratings, and performance-based measures, highlighting their clinical utility as well as their limitations. Recent developments in clinic-based assessment tools aimed at improving the characterization of everyday functioning will be discussed. The presentation will also examine innovative methods for capturing functional behavior in naturalistic environments, including wearable technologies, in-home sensing systems, and ecological momentary assessment. The discussion will emphasize intra-person factors (e.g., compensatory strategies) and contextual influences (e.g., environment, personality) that impact accurate everyday functional status. Recommendations for advancing clinical and research applications in functional health assessment will conclude the session.

Learning Objectives

Recognize commonly used approaches for evaluating everyday functioning in neuropsychological and clinical settings.
Discuss emerging methods for measuring real-world functional abilities, including technology-assisted assessment approaches.
Evaluate the advantages and limitations of traditional and novel strategies for assessing functional capacity and independence.

Maureen Schmitter-Edgecombe, PhD, is a Regents Professor and Berry Family Distinguished Professor in the Department of Psychology at Washington State University. Her laboratory has pioneered novel, ecologically valid methods for assessing activities of daily living in real-world environments, including the use of digital health technologies, as well as innovative preventive interventions and compensatory technologies that support brain health and the maintenance of functional independence. Through interdisciplinary collaborations with computer scientists and engineers, her work with a variety of sensor-based technologies, including ambient and wearable systems, aims to extend the functional independence and quality of life of older adults with neurodegenerative disorders by developing smart technologies that can promote proactive healthcare and real-time intervention. Dr. Schmitter-Edgecombe's extramurally funded research has resulted in more than 200 scholarly publications, and she serves as an Associate Editor for The Clinical Neuropsychologist and was a co-editor of the second edition of Neuropsychology of Everyday Functioning.

Cognitive Functioning in Oncology Settings: Assessment and Cognitive Rehabilitation Approaches (10 May 2027)

Tue, 11 May 2027 02:00:00 GMT

David Sheppard, PhD
University of Washington, Fred Hutch Cancer Center
Seattle, WA