Rachel Casas, PhD

About

Dr. Casas' research interests focus broadly on the cultural contributions to cognition and brain development, and her postdoctoral work is funded by a fellowship in Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture and Neuroscience from the Foundation for Psychocultural Research (FPR). Previously, Dr. Casas has been supported by funding from the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program and the American Psychological Association’s (APA) Diversity Program in Neuroscience.

In addition to her research, Dr. Casas also provides clinical neuropsychological services to patients with various types of brain injury. Her specific expertise is in neuropsychological assessment of cultural and linguistic minorities, including patients with limited English proficiency (LEP).

Dr. Casas’ leadership experience includes election to the three-year Chair cycle of the American Psychological Association of Graduate Students (APAGS), the largest organization of graduate students in psychology worldwide. She has also served as a member of the Board of Directors for the American Psychological Association (APA) and as a liaison to the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology.

Dr. Casas identifies as a scientist-activist and has experience communicating research findings to local, state, and federal legislators. She has spent time working on Capitol Hill as the 2009 Dalmas A. Taylor Summer Minority Policy Fellow and is currently a trustee for the California Psychological Association’s (CPA) Political Action Committee (PAC).

Education

Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship in Culture, Neuroscience, & Psychosis, University of Southern California

Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship in Clinical Neuropsychology, University of California, Los Angeles

Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, University of Iowa

Predoctoral Internship in Clinical Psychology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, California State University, Northridge

Publications

PEER-REVIEWED MANUSCRIPTS

• Casas, R., Gonzales, E., Aldana-Aragón, E., Lara-Muñoz, C., Kopelowicz, A., Andrews, L., & López, S.R. (in press).    Toward the early recognition of psychosis among Spanish-speaking adults on both sides of the US-Mexico border. Psychological Services.
• Casas, R. Guzman-Veléz, E., Cardona-Rodriguez, J., Rodriguez, N., Quiñones, G., Izaguirre, B., & Tranel, D. (2012). Interpreter-mediated neuropsychological testing of monolingual Spanish speakers. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 26 (1), 88-101.
• Casas, R., Calamia M., & Tranel, D. (2008). A screening test of English naming ability in bilingual Spanish/English speakers. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 30 (8), 956-966.
• Razani, J., Casas, R., Wong, J., Lu, P., Mendez, M., Alessi, C. (2007).The relationship between executive functioning and activities of daily living in patients with dementia. Applied Neuropsychology, 14, 208-214.
• Razani, J., Kakos, B., Orieta-Barbalace, C., Wong, J.T., Casas, R., Lu, P., Alessi, C., Josephson, K. (2007). Predicting caregiver burden from daily functional abilities of patients with relatively mild dementia. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 55, 1415-1420.
• Swerdlow, N.R., Wasserman, L.C., Talledo, J., Casas, R., Bruins, P., & Stephany, N.L. (2003). Prestimulus modification of the startles reflex: Relationship to personality and physiological markers of dopamine function. Biological Psychology, 62 (1), 17-26.
• Swerdlow, N.R., Casas, R.N., Bruins, P., Wasserman, L., Talledo, J., Stephany, N. (2002). Prestimulus modification of the startle reflex: Relationship to personality and physiological markers of dopamine function. {Abstract} Biological Psychiatry, 51 (8), 506.

BOOK CHAPTERS

• Casas, R. & Tranel, D (2010). Anomic Aphasia. In I.B. Weiner & W.E. Craighead (Eds.), Concise Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology and Behavioral Science. (pp. 110-112). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
• Casas, R. & Tranel, D. (2009). Lexical impairments following brain injury. In L.R. Squire (Ed.), Encyclopedia of neuroscience, Vol. 5. Oxford: Academic Press, pp. 463-466.
• Casas, R. & Tranel, D (2008). Higher brain functioning. In P.M. Conn (Ed.), Neuroscience in Medicine (pp.651-666). Totowa, NJ: Humana Press.

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

• Casas, R. (2014, July/August).Double disadvantage or social invisibility? Toward the recognition and support for women of color in psychology. The California Psychologist, 47 (3), 8-10.
• Casas, R. (2013, September/October).  Racial profiling: insights from social psychology and cognitive science. The California Psychologist, 46 (5), 35.
• Casas, R. (2010, March). This debate is out of date. Gradpsych, 8(2), 40.
• Casas, R. (2010, January). Learn to teach. Gradpsych, 8(1), 29.
• Casas, R. (2009, November). APA: Our public face and voice, Gradpsych, 7(4), 24.
• Casas, R. (2009, September). Invest in yourself. Gradpsych, 7(3), 23.