Foundational Curriculum and Core Guidelines for Training in Latinx/a/o-Hispanic Cultural Neuropsychology Across the Lifespan

• Published in: Archives of clinical neuropsychology Vol. 38; no. 3; pp. 304 - 333
• Main Authors: MacDonald, Beatriz, Berrios-Siervo, Gretchen M, Díaz-Santos, Mirella, Sánchez, Orlando, Suárez, Paola, Diaz, Ana Linda, Moss, Natalia, Strutt, Adriana M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Oxford University Press 26.04.2023
• Subjects: Curriculum; Hispanic or Latino; Humans; Longevity; Neuropsychological Tests; Neuropsychology - education; Core competencies; Cultural neuropsychology; Training curriculum; Lifespan; Latinx/o/a; Bilingual
• ISSN: 1873-5843; 1873-5843
• DOI: 10.1093/arclin/acac108

Abstract Objective The training competency of individual and cultural diversity is an advanced, fundamental competency to health service psychology since 2015. However, there is minimal instruction on how to integrate it into training curricula in neuropsychology, especially at the postdoctoral fellowship level. Our objective was to operationalize the individual and cultural diversity standard to provide a tangible application for educational programs on how to develop a competency-based training model for Latinx/a/o-Hispanic (L/H) cultural neuropsychology across the lifespan. Method The knowledge-based and applied-based competencies necessary to train to be a cultural neuropsychologist delivering services to L/H patients and families are defined. For learners to complete these competencies, training programs need to implement clinical, didactic, research, and professional development core guidelines grounded in cultural neuropsychology. We provide a framework on how to transform each core guideline, including a Didactics Core with foundational readings across a range of L/H topics, and a Report Template to guide the documentation of sociocultural information, language usage, normative data, and other relevant factors in a neuropsychological report. Conclusions These cultural neuropsychology competencies and core guidelines need to become a basic core requirement for all neuropsychologists in training. With focused education in culturally based competencies, training programs can cultivate a sense of responsibility, inclusion, justice, and equity to train a generation of neuropsychologists, who intentionally and consistently practice socially responsible neuropsychology.