Dr. Clarice Mendonca-King
Dr. Clarice Mendonca-King is a doctoral-level Clinical Neuropsychologist, licensed in the US and the UAE. Currently based in Dubai, UAE, her services involve assessments, interventions, and educational development. Psychoeducation in the form of workshops, seminars, media support, academic supervision, and clinical peer consultation for aspiring psychologists and early-career psychotherapists are at the heart of her endeavours. The primary focus of her services is comprehensive neuropsychological and psychological assessments for cognitive problems, including those related to head injuries, neurodegenerative diseases (dementias, Parkinson’s disease), functional/psychosomatic disorders, epilepsy/seizures, multiple sclerosis, pre-surgical evaluations, ADHD, and psychiatric disorders. She also offers psychotherapy using a patient-specific integration of psychodynamic, dialectical behaviour therapy, and trauma-informed approaches. Her therapeutic areas of expertise includes trauma and abuse, dissociative disorders, psychosomatic and chronic illnesses, personality disorders, and mood problems.
Integrating technology in the assessment and treatment of neuropsychological disorders
Neuropsychological practice currently offers the gold standard in understanding brain-behavior relationships that are not accounted for by structural analyses. Considering that it is founded on using complex behavioral data to inform our understanding of brain functions in the context of psychosocial constructs, there remains scope for enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of data gathering, analyses, and evidence-based neuropsychological intervention. Current challenges with accruing ecologically valid and objective data through standardized methods applied by trained specialists has involved a greater investment of time, effort, and money, relative to other associated healthcare activities and for both service providers and seekers. Thus, the concept of leveraging digital and technological tools to enhance diagnostic accuracy and treatment effectiveness is integral to advancement in the field. In this presentation, we discuss the application of digital technologies that can be incorporated into the assessment and treatment of neurologically- and psychologically-based cognitive difficulties. For this, we discuss the scope of tools such as biofeedback (Tinello et al., 2022), virtual reality (VR; Denmark et al., 2019; Spreij et al., 2022; van de Wouw et al., 2023), Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS; Pink et al., 2021; Málly, & Stone, 2007), and Artificial Intelligence (AI; Dashwood et al., 2021; Uddin et al., 2019). We further discuss their limitations, challenges that may impede their application, and methods with which these tools can be integrated to leverage data-driven precision, with specific focus on decision-making strategies and developmental processes that ensure effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability (Bilder & Reise, 2019; Germine et al., 2019). Finally, we consolidate practice standards and research findings (e.g., Fernandez, 2019) to offer suggestions on how neuropsychological practitioners can collaborate with other professionals within the healthcare treatment team and program developers to optimize the integration and adaptation of such technologies to the GCC context, specifically in terms of linguistic, social, educational, and environmental differences from the predominant North American norm.