Neuropsychology in Czech Republic in 2018

Hana Georgi Štěpánková ORCID logo

This year is quite fruitful as for events in Czech neuropsychology.

Czech Association for Neuropsychology (CANP) was founded by 68 founding members in January 2018. For professionals interested in this specialized discipline, CANP represents an alternative to the existing Czech Neuropsychological Society (CENES). CANP has about 100 members at the moment, medical doctors, psychologists, and students. The abundant participation of experts documents an interest and need to share information, competencies, and unification of procedures with the latest knowledge and trends. CANP and CENES follow up on a heritage of the Czechoslovak Neuropsychological Society (CNS) founded by Petr Kulistak in 1986. CNS joined Czech-Moravian Psychological Society (CMPS) later on; and still works transformed into a section of neuropsychology.

Another important event was the 2018 Mid-Year Meeting of the International Neuropsychological Society (INS). The local organizer was CENES. Participation of the Czech psychologists was scarce, also due to quite high fees exceeding local events, which limited it almost only to the persons with a grant or stipend backing. CANP was represented through its members presenting 21 our of 33 Czech contributions. At this occasion, three Czech experts received awards for their work from INS. Jiří Diamant – Distinguished Career Award; Ondřej Bezdíček – Early Career Research Award, and Petr Kulišťák – Lifetime Achievement Award (Education). Kateřina Čechová received Student Research Award.

Three accredited courses in neuropsychology are open this year, which sets a record in the offer of further education in neuropsychology.

At the annual conference held by CMPS, Psychological Days, the second Jiří Diamant National Neuropsychological Award winners will be announced. Five published works were nominated.

Let us hope that the professional interest in evidence-based neuropsychology, keeping diagnostic and treatment procedures in line with latest knowledge and internationally accepted ones, and in wide co-operation will continue growing in the Czech Republic.

(Fulltext in Czech)