臺灣臨床神經心理學的發展歷史與現況

The Development and Current Achievement of Clinical Neuropsychology in Taiwan

早期台灣臨床心理學在醫療機構中的發展，都是集中於精神科領域，絕大多數心理系畢業生，到醫療機構主要是在精神科，從事與精神疾患有關的評估、診斷、與治療的工作。到1980年代，才有心理系的畢業生，到醫院精神科以外的科別，如復健科、神經科、家庭醫學科等部門工作，逐漸開啟國內臨床心理師在醫療領域的全面發展。臨床心理師在國內神經科，因應所服務醫療機構臨床業務上的需求與發展，主要的工作內容包括有： (1) 執行神經科相關疾病患者的心智功能評估等工作；(2) 協助發展神經疾病研究上與臨床上所使用的認知評估工具；(3) 負責失智症研究與臨床實務上大腦認知功能的評估；(4) 參與失智症流行病學、臨床病程、藥物實驗、記憶力訓練、與醫學倫理等方面的研究；(5) 投入醫學課程的教學與臨床實習的訓練；與 (6) 推廣大眾醫學教育與患者家屬諮詢。本文藉由近二十年來台灣神經科醫療機構中臨床神經心理學的發展與近況，呈現並凸顯臨床心理師在醫療實務與臨床研究上所能發揮的重要性。

It was not until the 1980s when the students graduated from psychology began to work in areas other than psychiatry department in hospitals in Taiwan. The development of neuropsychology in various hospitals was different due to the emphasis of each clinical setting. Clinical psychologists in neurological settings have involved in various clinical activities such as: (1) performing neuropsychological assessment for neurological patients; (2) developing and modifying neuropsychological or cognitive assessment instrument for clinical and research purposes; (3) assessing cognitive function for demented patients; (4) involving in epidemiological studies, severity staging, drug trail, memory training, and ethical problems of dementia; (5) participating in medical teaching and clinical training for medical and clinical psychology interns; and (6) helping in public education and in family consultation for neurological patients. More and more medical institutes begin to hire clinical psychologists to help patients with neurological problems and to participate in related research.