Asha Vas, Ph.D., OT

Contact

avas@twu.edu
214-689-7771
IHSD 8805

Biography

My research includes integrating principles of cognitive neuroscience into functionally relevant cognitive training/rehabilitation programs. Specially, my research is developing and testing top-down executive function training programs salient to daily-life functioning in adults with traumatic brain injuries (TBI). I recently expanded this approach to improving reasoning skills in college students.

Education

Ph.D., Cognition and Neuroscience, University of Texas at Dallas, 2012
M.O.T., St. Catherine's University, St. Paul, Minnesota, 2004
B.S., Occupational Therapy, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India, 1994

Research Interests

Cognition, Cognitive Rehabilitation, Traumatic Brain Injury, Executive Functions

Latest Articles

Associations between Self-Generated Strategy Use and MET-Home Performance in Adults with Stroke
Neuropsychological Rehabilitation (2019)
S Burns, D Dawson, J Perea, Asha K. Vas, N Pickens

Stratégies for Success- Get the Gist
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (2017)
Asha K. Vas

Integrative Executive Function Training in Chronic Stroke- A Case Example.
Journal of Applied Biobehavioral Research (2017)
Asha K. Vas, Robin Abelerra, Sarah Taylor, Emily Rich, Jennifer Burns

Does Tele-Health Training stack up to On-Site Executive Control Training for youth and Adults with TBI?
Brain Injury (2016)
Asha K. Vas, L. Cook, M. Keebler, S. Chapman

Sensitivity and Specificity of Abstraction using Gist Reasoning Measure in Adults with Traumatic Brain injury.
Journal of Applied Biobehavioral Research (2016)
Asha K. Vas, J. Spence, B. Eschler, S. Chapman

Reasoning training in veteran and civilian traumatic brain injury with persistent mild impairment
Neuropsychological Rehabilitation (2016)
Asha Vas, S Chapman, J Spence, M Keebler, G Rodriguez-Larrain

Virtual SMART: Tele-Cognitive Rehabilitation in Youth & Adults with Chronic TBI
Brain Injury (2015)
L Cook, Asha K. Vas, M Keebler

Abstracting meaning from complex information (gist reasoning) in adult traumatic brain injury
Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology (2015)
Asha K. Vas, J Spence, S Chapman

Frontal lobes and TBI: Assessment and training of integrative higher-order cognition
Brain Injury (2014)
Asha K. Vas, M Keebler, L Cook

Neurocognitive outcomes following reasoning training in adults with mild TBI
Journal of International Neuropsychological Society (2014)
Asha K. Vas, M Keebler, G Rodriguez-Larrain, D Krawczyk, S Chapman

Chapters

Language impairments in traumatic brain injury: A window into complex cognitive performance
in Handbook of Clinical Neurology: Head Injury | Elsevier (2015)
Asha K. Vas, S B Chapman, L G Cook

Higher- level cognitive-communication approaches in chronic TBI to harness brain plasticity
in Social and Communication Disorders following Traumatic Brain Injury | Psychology Press (2013)
L G Cook, Asha K. Vas, S B Chapman

Current Projects

Three of my current research projects are:

1. Cognitive-Physical-Functional Correlation in Adults with TBI. Goal of the project is to examine relation between Cognitive, Physical, and Functional performance in chronic TBI.

2. Top down processing in Cognitive rehabilitation in Adults with TBI. Goal of the project is to develop and test ‘top-down’ cognitive assessment and training model in chronic TBI.

3. Postacute SMART study. Goal of the project is to compare two cognitive training programs in postacute TBI populations.

Externally Funded Projects

Cognitive-Motor-Functional Correlation in Adults with TBI
$15,000.00 | 2018
Role: Principal Investigator

Postacute SMART study
$24,000.00 | 2017
Role: Principal Investigator

SMART program in Adults with Chronic Stroke
Woodstock Institute | $10,000.00 | 2015
Role: Principal Investigator

Internally Funded Projects

Top down processing in Cognitive rehabilitation in Adults with TBI
$29,800.00 | 2018
Research Grant

TWU Small Grants
$750.00 | 2016
Research Grant

SMART program in OT Graduate students
$2,000.00 | 2015
Research Grant