Associate Professor
Psychology
Academic Credentials
B.A., University of Auckland, New Zealand
M.A., University of Auckland, New Zealand
Ph.D., The George Washington University
Post-doctoral : Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences); National Institute of Mental Health (Clinical Brain Disorders Branch)
Licensed Psychologist, Maryland (currently inactive)
Biography
Dr. Diaz-Asper is a cognitive neuropsychologist by training, with a background and interest in teaching about the brain and behavior and conducting clinical research. Prior to coming to Marymount University, she worked both as a clinician and researcher, completing two different post-doctoral internships, at Johns Hopkins Hospital and the National Institutes of Mental Health. During this time, she conducted neuropsychological evaluations of cognitively-impaired adults, and also designed and implemented a number of research studies.
Most recently, her research has focused on applying computational methods like natural language processing and machine learning to the speech of older people to predict cognitive decline and dementia. She has authored several articles and received grant funding from the National Institutes of Health and Rotary USA’s CART Fund for this work.
Teaching Area
- Biological Bases of Behavior
- Learning & Cognition
- Abnormal Psychology
- Research Design for Psychology
- Senior Seminar
Research Interests
- Memory and cognition in dementia and mental illness
- Health disparities in aging and dementia
- Using automated analyses of language to predict cognitive function and mental state
- Ethical use of artificial intelligence (speech technologies) in clinical and research applications
Publications
For the most current listing, please check: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/catherine.diaz-asper.2/bibliography/public/
Diaz-Asper, C., Hauglid, M.K., Chandler, C., Cohen, A.S., Foltz, P.W., & Elvevåg, B. (2024). A framework for language technologies in behavioral research and clinical applications: Ethical challenges, implications and solutions. American Psychologist, 79(1), 79-91. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0001195
Chandler, C., Diaz-Asper, C., Turner, R. S., Reynolds, B., & Elvevåg, B. (2023). An explainable machine learning model of cognitive decline derived from speech. Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring, 15:e12516. https://doi.org/10.1002/dad2.12516
Diaz-Asper, C., Chandler, C., Turner, R. S., Reynolds, B., & Elvevåg, B. (2022). Increasing access to cognitive screening in the elderly: applying natural language processing methods to speech collected over the telephone. Cortex, 156, 26-38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2022.08.005
Foltz, P.W., Chandler, C., Diaz-Asper, C., Cohen, A.S., Rodriguez, Z., Holmlund, T.B., & Elvevåg, B. (2022). Reflections on the nature of measurement in language-based automated assessments of patients’ mental state and cognitive function. Schizophrenia Research, S0920-9964(22)00283-3. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2022.07.011
Holmlund, T.B., Chandler, C., Foltz, P.W., Diaz-Asper, C., Cohen, A.S., Rodriguez, Z., & Elvevåg, B. (2022). Towards a temporospatial framework for measurements of disorganization in speech using semantic vectors. Schizophrenia Research, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2022.09.020
Diaz-Asper, M., Holmlund, T.B., Chandler, C., Diaz-Asper, C., Foltz, P.W., Cohen, A.S., & Elvevåg, B. (2022). Using automated syllable counting to detect missing information in speech transcripts from clinical settings. Psychiatry Research, 315, 114712 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114712
Diaz-Asper, C., Chandler, C., Turner, R. S., Reynolds, B., & Elvevåg, B. (2021). Acceptability of collecting speech samples from the elderly via the telephone. Digital Health. https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076211002103
Rosenstein, M., Diaz-Asper, C.M., Foltz, P.W., Weinberger, D.R., & Elvevåg, B. (2014). A computational semantic and syntactic approach to prose recall in schizophrenia. Cortex,55, 148-66. doi: 10.1016/j.cortex.2014.01.021
Gulyn, L.M., & Diaz-Asper, C. (2018). Exploring Perceptions of Blame for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Developmental & Physical Disabilities, 30(5), 587-600. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10882-018-9604-2
