Historical Origins of Professional Neuropsychology Organizations in the United States

Abstract

AbstractThe growth of neuropsychology as a profession and an academic field of inquiry has resulted in the establishment of several organizations to represent the interests of professionals with diverse interests, backgrounds, and needs. The earliest of such groups tended to focus on the subject matter of the nascent field, regardless of discipline or geography of the members. As the practice of clinical neuropsychology emerged, training, education, and clinical practice issues became more of a focus in the United States. In the mid-1970s several organizations were established that sought to meet the needs of those practicing neuropsychology. The membership of the different organizations emerged from groups that were relatively more clinically or academically focused, although that was not a strict line of demarcation. Well into the 21st century, there are several long-established organizations meeting the needs of an increasingly diverse group of professionals practicing neuropsychology.