VIDEO ONLY: Dr. Daryl Fujii, Ph.D., ABPP-CN, Developing Individualized Conceptualization of Diverse Children for Assessment Process, 1.5 CEs

Level of Activity: Advanced Abstract: The U.S. population is becoming increasingly diverse and is expected to reach minority-majority status by 2045. While adult neuropsychologists still have time to build cultural competence, pediatric neuropsychologists face an immediate need, as children from ethnic minority or multiracial backgrounds already outnumber White-alone children (53% vs. 47%; Rabe, 2023). Cultural neuropsychology has traditionally emphasized locating translated, validated, and appropriately normed tests for each patient. Although testing is essential, relying primarily on test scores is both impractical—given the vast diversity in the U.S.—and incomplete, as data gain clinical meaning only when interpreted within an individualized cultural context. Therefore, the foundation of culturally informed pediatric neuropsychological assessment is a conceptual understanding of the child. This presentation outlines a process for developing such individualized conceptualizations and using them to guide data collection, interpretation, recommendations, and feedback. It demonstrates the application of intersectionality principles (Fujii, 2023) and cultural facets from the ECLECTIC Framework (Fujii, 2018) to build culturally grounded case formulations. It also illustrates how these formulations support a fair and relevant assessment process consistent with the American Educational Research Association’s (AERA) four pillars of fairness in testing (AERA et al., 2014). Objectives: • Incorporate cultural research into assessment preparation for diverse children. • Integrate intersectionality and ECLECTIC Framework facets to develop a culturally informed conceptualization. • Use this contextual understanding to tailor assessment processes to each child’s specific characteristics.