Elizabeth W. Twamley, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry
University of California, San Diego
140 Arbor Drive(0851)
San Diego, CA 92103
Phone: (619) 497-6684
Fax: (619) 497-6686
E-mail: etwamley@ucsd.edu

Biography:
Dr. Twamley obtained her undergraduate degree in Social Ecology at UC Irvine and earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Arizona State University in 2000. She completed her clinical psychology internship at UCSD and a postdoctoral fellowship in the UCSD Division of Geriatric Psychiatry under the mentorship of Drs. Jeste, Palmer, Heaton, and Bondi. Dr. Twamley’s current research is funded by an NIMH Career Development Award. She is an Associate Director of the Research Fellowship in Geriatric Mental Health (T32) and provides training and supervision for psychology interns at UCSD Outpatient Psychiatric Services.

Research Focus:
Dr. Twamley's research focuses on bridging neuropsychology and interventions for individuals with schizophrenia. She is currently conducting two randomized controlled trials. The first is an investigation of work rehabilitation (and cognitive predictors of outcome) in patients with schizophrenia. The second focuses on a new, manualized compensatory cognitive training intervention for patients with psychotic disorders. Other research interests include the neuropsychology of everyday functioning, neurocognitive risk factors for suicide, genetic markers of cognition, and the nature of core neuropsychological deficits in schizophrenia.

Clinical Focus:
Dr. Twamley is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in neuropsychological assessment and outpatient psychotherapy. She is particularly interested in community-based interventions that help individuals with severe mental illness reach their highest potential social and occupational functioning.

Selected Publications:

• Twamley, E.W., Doshi, R.R., Nayak, G.V., Palmer, B.W., Golshan, S., Heaton, R.K., Patterson, T.L., & Jeste, D.V. (2002). Generalized cognitive impairments, ability to perform everyday tasks, and level of independence in community living situations of older patients with psychosis. American Journal of Psychiatry, 159, 2013-2020.
• Jeste, D.V., Twamley, E.W., Eyler Zorrilla, L.T., Golshan, S., Patterson, T.L., & Palmer, B.W. (2003). Aging and outcome in schizophrenia. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 107, 1-8.
• Twamley, E.W., Jeste, D.V., & Lehman, A.F. (2003). Vocational rehabilitation in schizophrenia: A literature review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 191, 515-523.
• Twamley, E.W., Jeste, D.V., & Bellack, A.S. (2003). A review of cognitive training in schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 29, 359-382.
• Twamley, E.W., Padin, D.S., Bayne, K.S., Narvaez, J.M., Williams, R.E., & Jeste, D.V. (2005). Work rehabilitation for older people with schizophrenia: A comparison of three approaches. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 193, 596-601.