Rehabilitation and Participation Science
Program in Occupational Therapy
Independent living, aging in place, neurorehabilitation, cognitive rehabilitation, self-management
Dr. Foster's research involves everyday cognitive functioning and its relevance to occupational performance, participation, and well-being among individuals with chronic neurological conditions. She focuses on the development of more effective and comprehensive rehabilitation programs for individuals with neurological disorders and cognitive dysfunction.
Dr. Foster's classes include those related to neuroscience and neurological conditions in the entry-level MSOT and OTD degree programs. Additionally, she mentor students who work in her laboratory.
2018: PhD in Rehabilitation and Participation Science, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Program in Occupational Therapy
2009: Master of Science in Clinical Investigation (MSCI), Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Clinical Research Training Center postdoctoral program
2008: Postdoctoral fellowship with Tamara Hershey, PhD, Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
2005: Doctorate in Occupational Therapy (OTD), Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Program in Occupational Therapy
2005: Research internship, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Department of Psychiatry
2005: Clinical internship, Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, Brain Injury Unit, East Orange, N.J.
2004: Clinical internship, The Rehabilitation Institute of St. Louis (TRISL), St. Louis, Mo.
2003: BA in psychology (major), biology (minor), Washington University in St. Louis
Dr. Foster earned her doctoral degree in occupational therapy in 2005, completed postdoctoral training in clinical neuroscience and cognitive neuropsychology in 2008, and earned a PhD in rehabilitation and participation science in 2018 at Washington University School of Medicine. During her postdoctoral fellowship, she was selected for a multi-disciplinary clinical investigation training program and received her Master of Science in Clinical Investigation (MSCI) in 2009. She has received federal and foundational funding for her research related to cognition in Parkinson disease (PD). Dr. Foster’s primary research focus is on understanding everyday cognitive functioning in PD and its relevance to occupational performance, participation and quality of life. She studies how cognitive dysfunction in PD impacts everyday life and how occupational therapy can best address it.
Wood, J., Henderson, W., & Foster, E. R. (2022). Occupational Therapy Practice Guidelines for People With Parkinson’s Disease. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 76(3). https://doi: 10.5014/ajot.2022.763001
Kang, E., Friz, D., Lipsey, K., & Foster, E. R. (2022). Empowerment in people with Parkinson’s disease: A scoping review and qualitative interview study. Patient Education and Counseling. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2022.06.003
Foster, E. R., Carson, L., Jonas, J., Kang, E., Doty, T., & Toglia, J. (2022). The Weekly Calendar Planning Activity to Assess Functional Cognition in Parkinson Disease. OTJR: Occupation, Participation and Health, 15394492221104075. https://doi: 10.1177/15394492221104075
Kang, E., & Foster, E. R. (2022). Use of Implementation Mapping With Community-Based Participatory Research: Development of Implementation Strategies of a New Goal Setting and Goal Management Intervention System. Frontiers in Public Health, 10. https://doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.834473
Kang, E., Jethani, P., & Foster, E. R. (2022). Person-centered goal setting is feasible in people with Parkinson’s disease who have subjective cognitive decline: a mixed methods study. Disability and rehabilitation, 1-8. https://doi: 10.1080/09638288.2022.2025930
Myers, P. S., O'Donnell, J. L., Jackson, J. J., Lessov-Schlaggar, C. N., Miller, R. L., Foster, E. R., ... & Campbell, M. C. (2022). Proteinopathy and Longitudinal Cognitive Decline in Parkinson Disease. Neurology. https://doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000200344
Foster, E. R., & Doty, T. (2021). Cognitive correlates of instrumental activities of daily living performance in Parkinson disease without dementia. Archives of Rehabilitation Research and Clinical Translation, 3(3), 100138.
Davis, A., Wolf, T.J., Foster, E.R. (2019). Complex Task Performance Assessment (CTPA) and functional cognition in people with Parkinson's disease. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 73, 7305205060. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2019.031492
Foster, E. R., Black, K. J., Antenor-Dorsey, J. A. V., Perlmutter, J. S., & Hershey, T. (2008). Motor asymmetry and substantia nigra volume are related to spatial delayed response performance in Parkinson disease. Brain and cognition, 67(1), 1-10.
Foster, E. R., McDaniel, M. A., Repovš, G., & Hershey, T. (2009). Prospective memory in Parkinson disease across laboratory and self-reported everyday performance. Neuropsychology, 23(3), 347.
Foster, E. R., Campbell, M. C., Burack, M. A., Hartlein, J., Flores, H. P., Cairns, N. J., ... & Perlmutter, J. S. (2010). Amyloid imaging of Lewy body‐associated disorders. Movement Disorders, 25(15), 2516-2523.
Foster, E. R., & Hershey, T. (2011). Everyday executive function is associated with activity participation in Parkinson disease without dementia. OTJR: occupation, participation and health, 31(1_suppl), S16-S22.
Foster, E.R., Cunnane, K.B., Edwards, D.F., Morrison, M.T., Ewald, G.A., Geltman, E.M., & Zazulia, A.R.(2011). Executive dysfunction and depressive symptoms are associated with reduced participation for individuals with severe congestive heart failure. American Journal of Occupational Therapy. 2011;65(3):306-313. PMC3155250.
Nguyen, C., Foster, E. R., Paciorkowski, A. R., Viehoever, A., Considine, C., Bondurant, A., ... & Washington University Wolfram Study Group. (2012). Reliability and validity of the wolfram unified rating scale (WURS). Orphanet journal of rare diseases, 7, 1-8.
Foster, E. R., Golden, L., Duncan, R. P., & Earhart, G. M. (2013). Community-based Argentine tango dance program is associated with increased activity participation among individuals with Parkinson's disease. Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation, 94(2), 240-249.
Foster, E. R., Rose, N. S., McDaniel, M. A., & Rendell, P. G. (2013). Prospective memory in Parkinson disease during a virtual week: effects of both prospective and retrospective demands. Neuropsychology, 27(2), 170.
Foster, E. R., Bedekar, M., & Tickle-Degnen, L. (2014). Systematic review of the effectiveness of occupational therapy–related interventions for people with Parkinson’s disease. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 68(1), 39-49.
Foster, E. R. (2014). Instrumental activities of daily living performance among people with Parkinson’s disease without dementia. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 68(3), 353-362.
Connor, L. T., Wolf, T. J., Foster, E. R., Hildebrand, M., & Baum, C. M. (2013). Participation and engagement in occupation in adults with disabilities. Occupational Science for Occupational Therapy. Thorofare, NJ: SLACK Inc.
Foster, E.R., Perlmutter, M., & Baum, C.M. (2008). Evaluating occupational performance in older adults. In: Coppola S, Elliott SJ, Toto PE, eds. Strategies to advance gerontology excellence: Promoting best practice in occupational therapy. Bethesda, MD: American Occupational Therapy Association and AOTA Press; 2008: 349-82.
Foley, K.T., Corcoran, M.A., Foster, E.R., Savre, J.M., & Morrison, M.T. (2006). Neurorehabilitation of the client with primary degenerative dementia: Introduction to dementia. In: Corcoran MA, editor. Neurorehabilitation Self-Paced Clinical Course Series. Bethesda, MD: American Occupational Therapy Association; 2006.
Rose, N.S., Foster, E.R., McDaniel, M.A., & Rendell, P.G. (2010). Prospective memory in Parkinson disease and healthy aging during a Virtual Week. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. Conference Abstract: The 20th Annual Rotman Research Institute Conference, The frontal lobes. 2010. doi: 10.3389/conf.fnins.2010.14.00158.
Foster, E.R. (2010). Executive dysfunction and instrumental activities of daily living performance in Parkinson’s disease without dementia. Clinical and Translational Science. 2010; 3(2):S10.
MacDonald, C., Lee, A., Naunheim, R., et al. (20058). Evaluation of anatomical and functional connections following traumatic brain injury in humans by diffusion tensor imaging and resting state functional connectivity. Journal of Neurotrauma. 2008; 25:875.
Foster, E. R., Repovs, G., Weaver, P., & Hershey, T. (2008, January). Connecting laboratory executive function to everyday executive function and complex activity participation in non-demented individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD). In MOVEMENT DISORDERS (Vol. 23, No. 1, pp. S96-S96). DIV JOHN WILEY & SONS INC, 111 RIVER ST, HOBOKEN, NJ 07030 USA: WILEY-LISS.
Foster, E. R., McDaniel, M. A., Repovš, G., & Hershey, T. (2009). Prospective memory in Parkinson disease across laboratory and self-reported everyday performance. Neuropsychology, 23(3), 347.
Burack, M. A., Campbell, M. C., Foster, E. R., Golchin, N., Hartlein, J., Hershey, T., & Perlmutter, I. S. (2008, January). Relationship of cortical Pittsburgh compound B (PIB) binding and clinical features in Parkinson's disease dementia. In MOVEMENT DISORDERS (Vol. 23, No. 1, pp. S92-S92). COMMERCE PLACE, 350 MAIN ST, MALDEN 02148, MA USA: WILEY-BLACKWELL.
Campbell, M. C., Burack, M. A., Foster, E. R., Golchin, N., Goulding, A. N., Hartlein, J., ... & Perlmutter, J. S. (2008, January). Relationship between neuropsychological functioning and PIB binding in Parkinson's disease. In MOVEMENT DISORDERS (Vol. 23, No. 1, pp. S92-S92). DIV JOHN WILEY & SONS INC, 111 RIVER ST, HOBOKEN, NJ 07030 USA: WILEY-LISS.
Foster, E.R., Repovš, G., Weaver. P,. & Hershey, T. (2008). The relationship between executive dysfunction and activity participation in non-demented persons with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society. 2008; 14(S1):185.
Starovasnik, B., Foster, E.R., Repovš, G., Vodušek, D.B., & Hershey, T. (2006). Prospective memory in Parkinson disease: Possible impairment and the effect of dopaminergic therapy. Clinical Neuropathology. 2006; 25(6).
Foster, E.R., Black, K., Perlmutter, J., & Hershey, T. (2006). Effects of Parkinson disease laterality on spatial working memory performance. Parkinsonism & Related Disorders. 2006; 12(1).
Baum, C., Foster, E., & Wolf, T. (2009). Addressing performance and participation in occupational therapy: The importance of cognition. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 72(4), 143-152.
Foster, E.R.(2008). Do you know about In-Home Occupational Therapy services? American Parkinson Disease Association Quarterly Newsletter. 2008;21(2):11.
Foster, Erin, PhD, OTD, OTR/L
Associate Professor of Occupational Therapy, Neurology and Psychiatry
Director of Graduate Studies for the RAPS PhD Program
Phone: 314-286-1638
Fax: 314-286-0631
[email protected]
Cognitive and Occupational Performance Laboratory
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