Clinical neuropsychology in Israel: history, training, practice and future challenges

Abstract

Most of the clinical neuropsychologists are graduates of either rehabilitation or clinical training programs. The vast majority of neuropsychologists are affiliated with rehabilitation psychology. The training programs (2-3 years of graduate school) provide solid therapeutic and diagnostic skills to the students. Seventy-five percent of the participants in this survey are employed at least part-time by public or state-funded institutions. Israeli neuropsychologists are heavily involved in case management, including vocational counseling, and rehabilitation psychotherapy. Conclusions and future goals: Although clinical neuropsychologists in Israel are well educated and valued by all health professionals, there are still several challenges that must be addressed in order to further advance the field and the profession. These included the need for Hebrew-language standardized and normalized neuropsychological tests and the application of evidence-based interventions in neuropsychological rehabilitation.

Bilingual and Multilingual Psychologists Practising in Australia: An Exploratory Study of Their Skills, Training Needs and Experiences

“…Some participants suggested increasing CALD representation by modifying admission criteria for professional training and psychology registration, in recognition of the language and cultural background of CALD individuals as an advantage to practice. This resembles suggestions made in Israel (Vakil & Hoofien, ) and Canada (Janzen & Guger, ) for academic institutions to encourage, admit and support trainees from non‐dominant cultures to enter psychology, so that practitioners’ cultural and linguistic competencies better reflected the populations they served. In Australia, academic grade‐point averages could be weighted by universities, and the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score standard could be modified by AHPRA/ PBA, to recognise applicants to professional programs with competencies in LOTE.…”

“…Consistent with overseas literature (Janzen & Guger, ; Vakil & Hoofien, ), participants also expressed needs for more and better training and increased ethnic diversity among psychology students, to be better prepared to serve CALD populations. The small proportion of CALD individuals admitted to the profession was identified as an issue: Australia's postgraduate psychology trainees are mostly from Anglo Australian or European backgrounds, suggesting the host culture has not adapted to CALD immigration.…”

Neuropsychological assessment in the Israeli healthcare system: a practitioners’ survey

“…Vakil and Hoofien [6] have previously reported that 75% of Israeli neuropsychologists worked at least part time in a public service, such as hospitals or non-profit organizations. In principle, then, they can provide NPAs through the healthcare system.…”

“…Compared to neuropsychologists in other countries, Israeli practitioners are more involved in case management, vocational counseling, and rehabilitation psychotherapy [6]. This focus is rooted in the development of the profession in Israel as well as in its current practice.…”

“…This focus is rooted in the development of the profession in Israel as well as in its current practice. Historically, Israeli neuropsychology evolved from rehabilitation psychology [6], placing greater emphasis on treatment than on assessment. Vakil and Hoofien [6] looked at a sample of 121 Israeli practitioners, 52% of them interns, and found that 77% of Israeli neuropsychologists combined therapy and assessment, 15% focused on therapy alone, and only 8% focused on assessment alone.…”