In 1986 I graduated from Ben-Gurion University of Israel with a bachelor's degree in Behavioral Sciences. I then completed hi my master's and doctoral degree at Wayne State University in Detroit. During my fourth year in the program, I completed a full-time one-year APA accredited internship at the Detroit and Ann Arbor VA Medical Centers. Upon completing his training, in 1991, I completed a one-year post-doctoral training in clinical neuropsychology at UCLA. In 1996, he returned to Israel and took a position as a lecturer in the Department of Psychology at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.Additionally, I worked at the Department of Neurosurgery at Sheba Medical Center (affiliated with Tel Aviv University), the Department of Psychiatry, and the Department of Child Rehabilitation. In this setting, I performed invasive pre-and intra-operative speech and memory evaluations in addition to standard neuropsychological assessments. I also conducted forensic evaluations. In 2004, I moved to Cleveland and took a position at Cleveland State University. In 2018, I was nominated as a fellow of the National Academy of Neuropsychology. Fellows are members of the academy who have demonstrated evidence of advancing the science and profession of clinical neuropsychology. Phone: +12165779342
The Israel journal of psychiatry and related sciences, 2005
BACKGROUND The threat of the potential spreading of the SARS epidemic caused significant stress t... more BACKGROUND The threat of the potential spreading of the SARS epidemic caused significant stress to many individuals from non-affected countries. In this study, we investigated whether the SARS threat affected the subjective mood and behavior of Israeli patients with schizophrenia and compared their reactions with those noted in their clinical staff. METHODS Subjects were evaluated with a specially designed questionnaire and a modified form of the Spielberger Scale for State Anxiety. RESULTS As compared to staff, patients had higher scores on the Modified Spielberger State Anxiety Scale. However, many responses (e.g., dysphoria) to the SARS threat did not differ from staff. Patients felt more protected by the authorities and some perceived the epidemic in a psychotic manner. CONCLUSIONS It seems that patients attempt to reduce the effect of external stressors by living in an "autistic bubble" (in which outside threats cannot enter) or by denying the significance of these st...
The present study describes the normative data and convergent validity of the Poreh Spatial Memor... more The present study describes the normative data and convergent validity of the Poreh Spatial Memory Test (PSMT). 204 participants (96 males and 108 females) between the age of 18 to 85 years were administered the PSMT. A subsample was administered the Rey Osterith Complex Figure Test (ROCFT) as well as the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) and another subsample was administered the Biber Figure Learning Test – Extended (BFLT-E). The present study demonstrated that the mean scores for the learning trials within each group exhibited robust inverse logarithmic learning curves. Accordingly, three indices were derived: learning, learning curve, and delayed retention. As one might expect from a “pure” visuospatial memory test, age, but not gender or education, correlated with the PSMT learning and delayed retention scores. Additional analysis revealed that the PSMT correlated significantly with the ROCFT and the BFLT-E, supporting the convergent validity of the new measure. Age bas...
The present study describes the development of a simplified complex figure for older adults. This... more The present study describes the development of a simplified complex figure for older adults. This new figure is based on theoretical organizational strategy models developed for the Rey Complex Figure Test and combines several new technologies for the enhancement of the data capture. The study shows that the accuracy and memory scores for the new measure correlate significantly with Trail Making Test, Five Point Test, and RBANS Complex Figure scores. The new figure's strategy scores correlate with predominantly nonverbal and to a lesser extent with verbal executive functions, supporting the construct validity of these scores and illustrating that computer-based data recording methodologies can reliably discern the multiple cognitive operations that impact performance on this and similar graphomotor measures.
Individuals with Dependent Personality Disorder (DPD) who seek psychiatric help often go unrecogn... more Individuals with Dependent Personality Disorder (DPD) who seek psychiatric help often go unrecognized as they typically seek help for depression, anxiety, or eating disorders. The aim of this study was to develop a self-report measure that assesses dependent personality traits as defined by the DSM-IV criteria, including separate subscales for each criterion. Two samples of normal subjects from community colleges in the Midwestern region of the United States were used to develop the scale. The scale was compared with existing measures of dependent personality disorder. Evidence for the internal consistency and convergent and divergent validity of the new scale is presented. The new scale provides a useful tool for clinicians and researchers interested in a dimensional screening for dependent personality traits in both general and clinical populations.
The MMPI-2 schizophrenia spectrum profiles of 25 college students with extreme scores on the Perc... more The MMPI-2 schizophrenia spectrum profiles of 25 college students with extreme scores on the Perceptual Aberration and Magical Ideation Scales were compared to those of 27 students who requested psychological treatment at a university psychology clinic. Moldin, Gottesman, and Erlenmeyer-Kimling's 1987 classification strategy for schizophrenia spectrum disorders identified 66% of the students who did not seek psychological treatment and had high scores on the Perceptual Aberration and Magical Ideation Scales as having an 8-6, 8-9, or a 9-8 MMPI-2 profile. Of the students who requested psychological treatment, 25% produced MMPI-2 schizophrenia spectrum profiles. Of these, 63% produced a 2-7-8 code profile. Additional analyses showed that only some of the students who requested psychological treatment and produced a 2-7-8 MMPI-2 profile exhibited schizotypal features and that this group stayed in therapy longer than students without schizophrenia spectrum profiles. These results suggest that only a subset of the students with high scores on the Perceptual Aberration and Magical Ideation Scales produce schizophrenia spectrum MMPI-2 profiles and that these profiles are substantially different from those produced by students with high scores on the Revised Social Anhedonia Scale and from schizotypal college students who seek psychological treatment.
ABSTRACT Clinicians often use the Rey Osterrieth Complex Figure (ROCF) to distinguish between glo... more ABSTRACT Clinicians often use the Rey Osterrieth Complex Figure (ROCF) to distinguish between global and local information processing deficits, despite the fact that its validity for making such a distinction has not been empirically evaluated. To address this question, a statistical procedure that examines the similarity between variables, also known as Faceted Smallest Space Analysis, was applied to the ROCF test protocols of patients with well-documented structural brain lesions. The study confirms the differentiation between global and local elements of the ROCF, particularly among left hemisphere-injured patients. Discriminant Function Analysis, however, shows that the right-sided local elements of the ROCF are the most useful for discriminating between right- and left-hemisphere-damaged patients. The present study suggests that the processing of the ROCF is dependent on both the spatial characteristics and location of its elements.
The Israel Journal of Psychiatry and Related Sciences, Feb 1, 2005
The threat of the potential spreading of the SARS epidemic caused significant stress to many indi... more The threat of the potential spreading of the SARS epidemic caused significant stress to many individuals from non-affected countries. In this study, we investigated whether the SARS threat affected the subjective mood and behavior of Israeli patients with schizophrenia and compared their reactions with those noted in their clinical staff. Subjects were evaluated with a specially designed questionnaire and a modified form of the Spielberger Scale for State Anxiety. As compared to staff, patients had higher scores on the Modified Spielberger State Anxiety Scale. However, many responses (e.g., dysphoria) to the SARS threat did not differ from staff. Patients felt more protected by the authorities and some perceived the epidemic in a psychotic manner. It seems that patients attempt to reduce the effect of external stressors by living in an "autistic bubble" (in which outside threats cannot enter) or by denying the significance of these stressors and over-emphasizing the power of medical authorities to protect them. On the other hand, some patients also psychotically interpreted these stressors.
The Israel journal of psychiatry and related sciences, 2005
BACKGROUND The threat of the potential spreading of the SARS epidemic caused significant stress t... more BACKGROUND The threat of the potential spreading of the SARS epidemic caused significant stress to many individuals from non-affected countries. In this study, we investigated whether the SARS threat affected the subjective mood and behavior of Israeli patients with schizophrenia and compared their reactions with those noted in their clinical staff. METHODS Subjects were evaluated with a specially designed questionnaire and a modified form of the Spielberger Scale for State Anxiety. RESULTS As compared to staff, patients had higher scores on the Modified Spielberger State Anxiety Scale. However, many responses (e.g., dysphoria) to the SARS threat did not differ from staff. Patients felt more protected by the authorities and some perceived the epidemic in a psychotic manner. CONCLUSIONS It seems that patients attempt to reduce the effect of external stressors by living in an "autistic bubble" (in which outside threats cannot enter) or by denying the significance of these st...
The present study describes the normative data and convergent validity of the Poreh Spatial Memor... more The present study describes the normative data and convergent validity of the Poreh Spatial Memory Test (PSMT). 204 participants (96 males and 108 females) between the age of 18 to 85 years were administered the PSMT. A subsample was administered the Rey Osterith Complex Figure Test (ROCFT) as well as the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) and another subsample was administered the Biber Figure Learning Test – Extended (BFLT-E). The present study demonstrated that the mean scores for the learning trials within each group exhibited robust inverse logarithmic learning curves. Accordingly, three indices were derived: learning, learning curve, and delayed retention. As one might expect from a “pure” visuospatial memory test, age, but not gender or education, correlated with the PSMT learning and delayed retention scores. Additional analysis revealed that the PSMT correlated significantly with the ROCFT and the BFLT-E, supporting the convergent validity of the new measure. Age bas...
The present study describes the development of a simplified complex figure for older adults. This... more The present study describes the development of a simplified complex figure for older adults. This new figure is based on theoretical organizational strategy models developed for the Rey Complex Figure Test and combines several new technologies for the enhancement of the data capture. The study shows that the accuracy and memory scores for the new measure correlate significantly with Trail Making Test, Five Point Test, and RBANS Complex Figure scores. The new figure's strategy scores correlate with predominantly nonverbal and to a lesser extent with verbal executive functions, supporting the construct validity of these scores and illustrating that computer-based data recording methodologies can reliably discern the multiple cognitive operations that impact performance on this and similar graphomotor measures.
Individuals with Dependent Personality Disorder (DPD) who seek psychiatric help often go unrecogn... more Individuals with Dependent Personality Disorder (DPD) who seek psychiatric help often go unrecognized as they typically seek help for depression, anxiety, or eating disorders. The aim of this study was to develop a self-report measure that assesses dependent personality traits as defined by the DSM-IV criteria, including separate subscales for each criterion. Two samples of normal subjects from community colleges in the Midwestern region of the United States were used to develop the scale. The scale was compared with existing measures of dependent personality disorder. Evidence for the internal consistency and convergent and divergent validity of the new scale is presented. The new scale provides a useful tool for clinicians and researchers interested in a dimensional screening for dependent personality traits in both general and clinical populations.
The MMPI-2 schizophrenia spectrum profiles of 25 college students with extreme scores on the Perc... more The MMPI-2 schizophrenia spectrum profiles of 25 college students with extreme scores on the Perceptual Aberration and Magical Ideation Scales were compared to those of 27 students who requested psychological treatment at a university psychology clinic. Moldin, Gottesman, and Erlenmeyer-Kimling's 1987 classification strategy for schizophrenia spectrum disorders identified 66% of the students who did not seek psychological treatment and had high scores on the Perceptual Aberration and Magical Ideation Scales as having an 8-6, 8-9, or a 9-8 MMPI-2 profile. Of the students who requested psychological treatment, 25% produced MMPI-2 schizophrenia spectrum profiles. Of these, 63% produced a 2-7-8 code profile. Additional analyses showed that only some of the students who requested psychological treatment and produced a 2-7-8 MMPI-2 profile exhibited schizotypal features and that this group stayed in therapy longer than students without schizophrenia spectrum profiles. These results suggest that only a subset of the students with high scores on the Perceptual Aberration and Magical Ideation Scales produce schizophrenia spectrum MMPI-2 profiles and that these profiles are substantially different from those produced by students with high scores on the Revised Social Anhedonia Scale and from schizotypal college students who seek psychological treatment.
ABSTRACT Clinicians often use the Rey Osterrieth Complex Figure (ROCF) to distinguish between glo... more ABSTRACT Clinicians often use the Rey Osterrieth Complex Figure (ROCF) to distinguish between global and local information processing deficits, despite the fact that its validity for making such a distinction has not been empirically evaluated. To address this question, a statistical procedure that examines the similarity between variables, also known as Faceted Smallest Space Analysis, was applied to the ROCF test protocols of patients with well-documented structural brain lesions. The study confirms the differentiation between global and local elements of the ROCF, particularly among left hemisphere-injured patients. Discriminant Function Analysis, however, shows that the right-sided local elements of the ROCF are the most useful for discriminating between right- and left-hemisphere-damaged patients. The present study suggests that the processing of the ROCF is dependent on both the spatial characteristics and location of its elements.
The Israel Journal of Psychiatry and Related Sciences, Feb 1, 2005
The threat of the potential spreading of the SARS epidemic caused significant stress to many indi... more The threat of the potential spreading of the SARS epidemic caused significant stress to many individuals from non-affected countries. In this study, we investigated whether the SARS threat affected the subjective mood and behavior of Israeli patients with schizophrenia and compared their reactions with those noted in their clinical staff. Subjects were evaluated with a specially designed questionnaire and a modified form of the Spielberger Scale for State Anxiety. As compared to staff, patients had higher scores on the Modified Spielberger State Anxiety Scale. However, many responses (e.g., dysphoria) to the SARS threat did not differ from staff. Patients felt more protected by the authorities and some perceived the epidemic in a psychotic manner. It seems that patients attempt to reduce the effect of external stressors by living in an "autistic bubble" (in which outside threats cannot enter) or by denying the significance of these stressors and over-emphasizing the power of medical authorities to protect them. On the other hand, some patients also psychotically interpreted these stressors.
Since the late 1800s psychologists have been interested in discerning the strategies subjects emp... more Since the late 1800s psychologists have been interested in discerning the strategies subjects employ to solve psychological tests (Piaget, 1928, Werner, 1940, Gesell, 1941). Much of this work, however, has relied on qualitative observations. In the 1970s, Edith Kaplan adopted this approach to the analysis of standardized neuropsychological measures. Unlike her predecessors, Dr. Kaplan and her colleagues emphasized the application of modern behavioral neurology to the analysis of the test data. Her approach was later termed the Boston Process Approach to neuropsychological assessment.
While Edith Kaplan's work generates a great deal of enthusiasm, the qualitative nature of her analyses did not allow for its adoption by mainstream neuropsychologists. However, in recent years this limitation has begun to be addressed. Clinicians and researchers have developed new methodologies for quantifying the Boston Process Approach, leading to the emergence of a new field, which is collectively termed the Quantified Process Approach.
Quantified Process Approach to Neuropsychological Assessment outlines the rationale for the emergence of this new approach and reviews the state of the art research literature and up to date clinical applications as they pertain to the evaluation of neuropsychiatric, head injured, and learning disabled patients. When available, norms and scoring forms are included in the appendice
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While Edith Kaplan's work generates a great deal of enthusiasm, the qualitative nature of her analyses did not allow for its adoption by mainstream neuropsychologists. However, in recent years this limitation has begun to be addressed. Clinicians and researchers have developed new methodologies for quantifying the Boston Process Approach, leading to the emergence of a new field, which is collectively termed the Quantified Process Approach.
Quantified Process Approach to Neuropsychological Assessment outlines the rationale for the emergence of this new approach and reviews the state of the art research literature and up to date clinical applications as they pertain to the evaluation of neuropsychiatric, head injured, and learning disabled patients. When available, norms and scoring forms are included in the appendice