563. Tele-Assessment Research

Would you rather read the transcript? Click here. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how much tele-assessment has changed since the early days of the pandemic, and we’re definitely moving past the “just trying to survive” phase into something a bit more rigorous. I wanted to sit down and look into where the research actually stands right now, especially when it comes to the “spatial problem” and why our tech setups might be accidentally measuring screen resolution instead of actual cognitive ability. Today, I’m summarizing the research on which parts of the assessment are best conducted remotely vs. in-person, along with offering some concrete tips to improve the quality of your remote protocol. At the end of the day, we’re trying to bring the rigor of the clinic into the client’s living room, and that takes a lot more than just a laptop and a prayer. Main Topics 00:15: The foundational research in tele-neuropsychology and the high reliability of remote verbal tasks 00:45: The spatial problem and how parallax or mirroring errors can create a tele-assessment penalty 01:45: Using the Tele-ASD-PEDS to observe naturalistic parent-child interactions in the home environment 03:10: Addressing the sensory bottleneck and hearing loss confounds in geriatric cognitive screening 04:40: Comparing developmental distractions in kids versus facilitator influence in older adults 06:15: The 2026 remote protocol including the three-camera setup and audio priority requirements 08:05: Technical environment audits and the importance of a 10-inch minimum screen size 09:20: Establishing a hard “discontinue threshold” to prevent powering through bad data Cool Things Mentioned The Testing Psychologist mastermind groups and business consulting Reverb: the premier AI-powered report-writing platform for testing psychologists Featured Resources TherapyNotes is the leading EHR system for mental health practitioners. I’ve used TherapyNotes for over 10 years, and it just keeps getting better. Use this link and the promo code “testing” to get two free months and try it for yourself! www.therapynotes.com/testing The Testing Psychologist podcast is approved for CEU’s! I’ve partnered with At Health to offer CE credits for podcast episodes! Visit this link to access current and past episodes available for CE credit. You can use code “TTP10” for a discount on ALL the course credits you purchase from At Health! About Dr. Jeremy Sharp I’m a licensed psychologist and Clinical Director at the Colorado Center for Assessment & Counseling, a private practice that I founded in 2009 and have grown to over 20 clinicians. I earned my undergraduate degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of South Carolina before getting my Master’s and PhD in Counseling Psychology from Colorado State University. These days, I specialize in psychological and neuropsychological evaluation with kids and adolescents. As the host of the Testing Psychologist Podcast, I provide private practice consulting for psychologists and other mental health professionals who want to start or grow psychological testing services in their practices. I live in Fort Collins, Colorado with my wife (also a therapist) and two young kids. Ready to grow your testing services? Click below to get on the waitlist! Join the Waitlist