Kathryn.VanKirk

Dr. VanKirk completed her undergraduate work at the University of Scranton, graduating Cum Laude with a B.S. in Psychology. She earned her M.S. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Drexel University, completed a neuropsychology specialty internship at MUSC, and did her postdoctoral fellowship in neuropsychology at the University of Pennsylvania, in the Neuropsychiatry Division. She has been licensed as a clinical psychologist since 2006, and has served as a neuropsychologist and research consultant in the Neurosciences and Psychiatry Departments at MUSC and at HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital. She is currently a staff neuropsychologist at the Ralph H. Johnson Veteran’s Administration Medical Center and assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). Clinical expertise lies in the area of adult neuropsychological assessment. Areas of both clinical and research interest include evaluation and treatment of adults with acquired and traumatic brain injuries and brain disorders, psychotherapeutic treatment for individuals with medical and neuropsychiatric disorders and women’s cognitive health.

Honors/Awards:

2003

Student Research Award – 9^th Annual Graylyn’s Conference on Women’s Cognitive Health

2002

Education Award – Pennsylvania Psychological Association

· Kniele, K. & Gur, R.C. (2008). Sex differences in brain development and learning disability. In L.E. Wolfe, H. Schrieber, & J. Wasserstein (Eds.), Adult Learning Disorders: Contemporary Issues. New York, NY: Psychology Press.

· Moberg, P.J., Kniele, K., & Rick, J. (2007). Neuropsychology of Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson’s Disease. In G.H. Baltuch & M.B. Stern (Eds.), Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson’s Disease: A Comprehensive Text.

· Smith, S., Kloss, J.D., Kniele, K., Anderson, S. (2007). A comparison of writing exercises to motivate young women to practice breast self-examinations. British Journal of Health Psychology, 12, 111-23.

· Moberg, P.J., & Kniele, K. (2006). Evaluation of competency: Ethical considerations for neuropsychologists. Applied Neuropsychology, 13, 101-14.

· Horner, M.D., Ferguson, P.L., Selassie, A.W., Labbate, L.A., Kniele, K. & Corrigan, J.D. (2005). Patterns of alcohol use one year after traumatic brain injury: A population-based, epidemiological study. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 11, 322-30.

· Morrison, M.F., Kallan, M., Ten Have, T., Katz, I., Tweedy, K., & Battistini, M. (2004). Lack of efficacy of estradiol for depression in postmenopausal women: A randomized, controlled trial. Biological Psychiatry, 55, 406-412.

· Morrison, M.F. & Tweedy, K. (2000). Estrogen and depression in aging women. In M.F. Morrison (Ed.), Hormones, Gender and the Aging brain: The endocrine basis of geriatric psychiatry. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

· Horner, M.D., Kniele, K., & McFall, T.L. (2009, February). Relationship Between Self-Reported Neurobehavioral Symptoms and Effort Test Performance in Veterans Screened for TBI. Presented at the 37^th Annual Meeting of the International Neuropsychological Society, Atlanta, GA.

· Tweedy, K., Horner, M.D., & Holbrook, L. (2005, February). Use of the California Verbal Learning Test- 2^nd edition (CVLT-II) Forced Choice Recognition subtest for detecting suboptimal effort. Presented at the 33^rd Annual Meeting of the International Neuropsychological Society, St. Louis, MO.

· Tweedy, K., Horner, M.D., & Holbrook, L. (2004, November). Clinical and demographic predictors of performance on the Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM). Presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Academy of Neuropsychology, Seattle, WA.

· Tweedy, K., Mohn, K., & Spiers, M. (2003, March). Sex differences and hormonal influences in emotional memory. Presented at 74^th Eastern Psychological Association Conference, Baltimore, MD.

· Kloss, J.D., Tweedy, K., Gilrain, K., & Szuba, M. (2001, September). Insomnia and menopause: hormonal change effects on sleep. Presented at the 36^th Association for the Advancement of Behavioral Therapy Convention, Philadelphia, PA.

· Kloss, J.D. & Tweedy, K. (2001, April).Theoretical mechanisms of change in emotional disclosure through writing. Presented at 72^nd Eastern Psychological Association Conference, Washington, DC.