Ward Halstead's contributions to neuropsychology and the Halstead-Reitan neuropsychological test battery

Abstract

This paper reviews the roots from which Halstead began his investigations, the significance of his original collaboration with neurological surgeons, and the long-term implications of his practical approach of observing brain-damaged patients in their everyday living situations in order to identify the problems and limitations they experienced. This work led to development of the Halstead-Reitan Battery (HRB), which has proved to be sensitive to a broad range of neurological variables including location, type, and status of brain lesion. The HRB, in turn, has laid the groundwork for a rehabilitation program (REHABIT) that integrates neuropsychological evaluation with cognitive retraining, using an approach that can be designed to restore the individual's functional ability structure (as contrasted with approaches oriented toward highly specific deficits or toward a general, nonspecific notion of "brain damage."