Abstract: An assessment of a subject's ability to formulate basic concepts, transfer those concepts into action, and to shift set from one concept to another measures the executive functions needed to maintain and shift set, form categories, and formulate concepts. One benefit of the present assessment is that it is nonverbal and does not require the ability to read. The assessment includes a plurality of cards, the number of cards comprising a non-prime number, containing different indicia thereon, the indicia representative of a class of real (non-abstract) objects. The indicia are sortable into a plurality of sets wherein a common feature is identified and used as the sorting criterion, with equal numbers of cards in each set. A subject is directed to make such sorts, which are then scored in order to formulate a rating of the subject's executive function.

Abstract: A neuropsychological assessment of perception of emotional expression in other people tests an ability to understand mental functions such as belief, intention, deception, emotion, imagination, and pretending. In a particular embodiment, a first part assesses the ability to understand that others have their own thoughts, ideas, and feelings that may be different from his/her own. The subject is read various scenarios or shown pictures, and is then asked questions that require knowledge of another individual's point of view to answer correctly. A second part assesses the subject's ability to recognize the appropriate affect given various social contexts. The subject is shown a picture depicting a social context and is asked to select a photograph from four options that depicts the appropriate affect for the target person in the picture. The assessment offers a reliable indicator of a subject's ability to comprehend the motivations and perceptions of other individuals.