Measuring Everyday Function in Neuropsychological Practice: Current Approaches and Future Directions

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

1. Recognize commonly used approaches for evaluating everyday functioning in neuropsychological and clinical settings.
   
2. Discuss emerging methods for measuring real-world functional abilities, including technology-assisted assessment approaches.
   
3. 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.