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Yana
Suchy, Ph.D. |
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Associate
Professor - Clinical Neuropsychology Program Coordinator
Department of Psychology
University of Utah |
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| Dr.
Suchy is a clinical neuropsychologist trained in assessment of
brain dysfunction among adults.
She is the coordinator of the
Clinical
Neuropsychology Program, which follows the scientist-practitioner
model and extant guidelines for neuropsychology training. Dr. Suchy's
primary research interest is in the area of executive functioning,
with the focus on improvements in (a) our understanding of the construct
of executive functioning and (b) assessment methodology. |
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Contact Information |
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Yana
Suchy , Ph.D.
Department of Psychology
University of Utah
380 South 1530 East, Room 502
Salt Lake City, Utah 84112 -0251
Office: 1301-B Social and Behavioral Science Building
Office Phone: (801) 585-0796
E-mail: yana.suchy@psych.utah.edu
Fax: (801) 581-5841 |
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Education |
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| Post-Doctoral
Fellow |
Evanston
Hospital (Clinical Neuropsychology, 1998-2000) |
| Ph.D. |
University
of Wisconsin (Clinical psychology, 1998) |
| M.A. |
University
of Wisconsin (Clinical psychology, 1995) |
| B.S. |
University
of Wisconsin (Psychology & English, 1991) |
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Reseach Interests |
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Neuropsychological
assessment of executive functions
Neurocognitive components of executive functions
My research is in the area of neuropsychology, with a particular focus
on executive functions. Executive functions refer to a set of abilities
that allow us to choose the most appropriate behaviors given different
contexts, to plan ahead and follow through with our plans, and to
avoid acting on impulses. In other words, it is our intact and mature
executive functioning that makes it possible for us to avoid behaviors
that are typical of babies and young children, such as grabbing someone
else’s food when hungry, crying when frustrated, or purposelessly
wondering around when looking for something we have lost.
Executive abilities are commonly impaired among patients with a variety
of neurologic and psychiatric disorders, such as different types of
dementia, traumatic brain injury, schizophrenia, and depression. Because
patients with these disorders are characterized by diverse clinical
presentations and different types of difficulties in everyday life,
one would expect that they could be differentiated based on specific
profiles of their executive impairment. For example, while one patient
may exhibit a strength in the ability to plan ahead accompanied by
an inability to follow through with plans, another patient may be
able to follow through, but require that planning be provided for
him by a caretaker. Because such different profiles of difficulties
clearly require different kinds of rehabilitative and compensatory
interventions, it would be useful to identify such profiles of strengths
and weaknesses for any given patient.
Unfortunately, traditional neuropsychological measures of executive
functions are not well-suited for this task. This is so partly because
of these measures’ somewhat limited sensitivity and specificity,
and partly because our older measures were originally developed with
the goal of assessing executive impairment in general, rather than
assessing specific executive subcomponents. My long-term research
goal is to advance our methodology for assessing executive functioning
by developing techniques capable of characterizing profiles of executive
abilities. This advancement would be useful for differentiation of
various clinical populations, as well as for identifying patients’
rehabilitation and caretaking needs.
My work in this area includes three types of studies:
Studies that enhance our understanding of how well, or poorly, our
traditional assessment instruments work
Studies that use a reaction time task called the “switching
task” designed to extend our understanding of individual subcomponents
of executive processes
Studies that focus on validation of an electronic battery of executive
tasks designed in my laboratory for use in both research and clinical
settings
Because executive functions are impaired in a variety of populations,
I have collaborated, and seek to collaborate, with students and other
researchers who are interested in understanding the neurocognitive
underpinnings of the following:
• Attention deficit disorder
• Antisocial personality disorder, criminal offending, and psychopathy
• Depression and bipolar disorder
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Normal aging and various types of dementias
• Seizure disorder
• Substance abuse
• Traumatic brain injury
Clinical
My clinical interests focus on neuropsychological assessment of adults
who have suffered various types of brain insult. I have worked both
with patients who are in the acute phases of recovery, such as patients
who have just suffered a stroke or a traumatic brain injury, as well
as with patients who suffer from chronic or slowly progressing conditions,
such as various types of dementia, Multiple Sclerosis, or old injuries.
Although I do not specialize in pediatric neuropsychology, prospective
graduate students should note that several pediatric neuropsychologists
with excellent resources both on and off campus are available for
supervision of work with children. |
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Home & Cross Area Specializations |
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Clinical
Clinical
Neuropsychology Training
Cognitive
Clinical Neuropsychology |
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