Dean-Woodcock Neuropsychological Assessment System

The Dean-Woodcock Neuropsychological Assessment System (DWNAS) provides a standardized procedure for assessing an individual’s sensory, motor, emotional, cognitive, and academic functioning for both English and Spanish speakers, based on the Cattell-Horn-Carroll Model CHC). The instrument may be administered by psychologists both with and without neuropsychological backgrounds.

The DWNB consists of the Dean-Woodcock Sensory-Motor Battery (DWSMB) (Dean & Woodcock, 2003c), the Dean-Woodcock Structured Neuropsychological Interview (Dean & Woodcock, 2003d), and the Dean-Woodcock Emotional Status Examination (Dean & Woodcock, 2003a). When the DWNAS is used with the Woodcock Johnson III (WJ III) (Woodcock, McGrew, & Mather, 2001), or the Bateria III Woodcock-Muñoz (Bateria III) (Muñoz-Sandoval, Woodcock, McGrew, & Mather, 2004), a comprehensive profile of an individual’s sensory, motor, emotional, cognitive, and academic functioning may be obtained. The DWNAS offers a neuropsychological interpretation of the WJ III and Bateria III. A fundamental element of the DWNAS is that provides both a clinical neurological and empirical theoretical base (CHC) to assessment. The DWSMB is a battery of tests drawn primarily from the traditional neurological examination to provide comprehensive coverage of basic sensory, motor functions and sub-cortical functioning, most of which have pathognomonic neurological signs. The DWSMB is comprised of two major sections—sensory and/or the Bacteria III motor. Motor tests are predominantly meant to measure motor functioning at the cortical level. Multple cognitive functions necessary in neuropsychological assessment are offered by the WJ-III or the Bateria III. The Dean-Woodcock Structured Interview and the Dean-Woodcock Emotional Status Examination provide pertinent information regarding the patient's history and current psychological and medical functioning. Further, they address the need in neuropsychological assessment to consider factors that may inhibit or facilitate a patient's performance.