OCTOBER 25, 2024
Madelyn Frumkin, PhD
Assistant Professor of Biomedical Data Science and Psychiatry
Center for Technology and Behavioral Health
Geisel School of Medicine
Dartmouth College
About the Presentation: Chronic pain is a highly prevalent and heterogeneous condition impacting 1 in 5 Americans. In addition to physical tolls, chronic pain is associated with increased risk of depression, substance use problems, overdose, and suicide. The prevalence, heterogeneity, and comorbidity of these issues present challenges for matching patients to treatments that are likely to work. In particular, it is common for patients to receive costly and risky surgeries and other medical procedures that often “fail,” contributing to even greater risk of mental health and substance use problems. The goal of this talk is to first describe how digital tools can aid in assessment and phenotyping. I will then explore whether information from digital assessment tools improves prediction of treatment outcomes. Finally, I will discuss future directions for providing personalized, evidence-based behavioral interventions using digital tools.
About the Presenter: Madelyn (Maddy) Frumkin is an assistant professor in the departments of Biomedical Data Science and Psychiatry within the Center for Technology and Behavioral Health. Dr. Frumkin earned her PhD in clinical psychology with a specialization in longitudinal and time-series data analysis. Her research leverages intensive longitudinal data collected via smartphones and wearable devices to better understand why physical and mental health problems co-occur. Ongoing efforts include: 1) applying dynamic structural equation modeling to understand individual differences in associations between pain, mood, and substance use; 2) using individual differences to predict which patients are likely to experience persistent pain, mental health problems, and/or substance use after surgery; and 3) developing personalized, smartphone-based interventions based on individual mechanisms of risk. Dr. Frumkin enjoys collaborating with healthcare providers to understand benefits, risks, and barriers involved in integrating digital technology into diverse healthcare settings. As a practitioner of cognitive-behavioral interventions to promote mental and physical health, she is especially interested in decreasing stigma and increasing access to evidence-based psychological treatments. Her work has been funded by organizations including the National Institute of Mental Health, American Psychological Foundation, American Psychological Association, and Academy of Psychological Clinical Science.