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In this episode, I talk with Dr. Stephanie Ruth Young from Northwestern University about the NIH Toolbox family of assessments: powerful, research-backed instruments that many clinicians still overlook. We explore how these tablet-based and mobile tools can bridge the gap between research and clinical practice, reduce examiner error, and simplify workflow without sacrificing rigor. Stephanie also walks us through the new Baby Toolbox for infants and toddlers and the Mobile Toolbox for remote data collection, sharing how these innovations may shape the future of neuropsychological and developmental testing.
Main Topics Covered
- 00:01 – Introduction: Stephanie’s background and motivation for bridging research and practice.
- 02:38 – Overview of the NIH Toolbox: Purpose, development, and structure.
- 05:06 – The Suite of Tools: NIH Toolbox, Baby Toolbox, and Mobile Toolbox.
- 06:35 – Barriers to Adoption: Why clinicians haven’t heard more about these tools.
- 09:47 – Misconceptions: Addressing misconceptions about “brief” measures and the value of integrated domain coverage.
- 13:34 – Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT): How it works and why it matters.
- 17:52 – Deep Dive into the Baby Toolbox: Tasks, materials, and examiner advantages.
- 24:46 – Clinical Utility: Validation, norming, and clinical utility across the NIH Toolbox family.
- 31:46 – Mobile Toolbox Use Cases: Research and clinical potential for the Mobile Toolbox.
- 33:36 – Validation vs. Norming: What clinicians need to know.
- 39:15 – Assessment Advantages: Common examiner errors and benefits of computerized assessment.
- 45:11 – Future of Testing Technology: AI, automation, and cognitive load reduction.
- 51:09 – The Human Role: The irreplaceable human role in psychological interpretation.
- 53:03 – Getting Started: How to access, pilot, and collaborate on Toolbox projects.
Cool Things Mentioned
- The Testing Psychologist mastermind groups and business consulting
- Reverb: the premier AI-powered report-writing platform for testing psychologists
- NIH Toolbox official site: www.nihtoolbox.com
- Contact for access/support: help@nihtoolbox.com
- REDCap research data-capture platform: www.project-redcap.org
Featured Resources
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About Dr. Stephanie Ruth Young
Stephanie Ruth Young is a licensed psychologist and Assistant Professor of Medical Social Sciences at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. Clinically trained as a bilingual pediatric neuropsychologist (Spanish-English), Dr. Young earned her Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin, completed her clinical internship at Dell Children’s Medical Center, and her clinical fellowship at Children’s Hospital Colorado. Since joining Northwestern in 2021, her research has focused on advancing the accuracy and efficiency of psychological assessments for clinical workflows. To this end, her team has created and validated dozens of assessments of various domains of functioning, designed for the youngest infants to the oldest adults. Dr. Young serves as Multiple Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator on several large NIH-funded projects, primarily focused on tracking cognitive trajectories and early detection of cognitive impairment.
Get in Touch & Resources:
- For questions about the NIHTB products email: help@nihtoolbox.org
- For questions about mobile toolbox email: help@mobiletoolbox.org
- To speak with Stephanie directly email: stephanieruth.young@northwestern.edu
- Connect with Stephanie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanieruthyoung/
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 schedule a complimentary 30-minute pre-consulting call!