Neuropsychological assessment has been posited as a method for assessment of psychopathology and cognitive impairment, the two most common threats to the functional abilities associated with competence to stand trial. This study examined whether neuropsychological tests could be used to create more parsimonious competence assessment batteries, and whether the molar cognitive abilities quantified by neuropsychological tests would predict performance on an adult measure of adjudicative competence and an adolescent measure of forensic decision-making. Results showed that evaluations should not be reduced to neuropsychological variables alone, and that some neurocognitive abilities can be used to predict functional abilities of competence and decision-making. These findings may be useful in developing individual rehabilitation strategies for those individuals who may not be fully able to participate in the planning of their own defense.
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