Studies Funded

Grant Awards
Since its inaugural Applied Autism Research Competition in 2002, OAR has made grant awards as listed below. To read about a particular study, click on the Overview link. Studies that have been completed have links to a research summary and any published articles related to this OAR-funded research. Click for information on grants made and studies supported through OAR’s Graduate Research Grants Program.

2007 Research Competition

Laura Anthony, Ph.D.
Children’s National Medical Center
Development of an Executive Function-based Intervention for Autism Spectrum Disorders
Overview

Susan Mayes, Ph.D.
Penn State College of Medicine
Sleep Disturbance and Daytime Functioning in Children with Autism
Overview

Audrey Blakeley-Smith, Ph.D.
Susan Hepburn, Ph.D.
University of Colorado at Denver Health Sciences Center
Peer-mediated Intervention for Elementary School Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders Overview

Maureen Conroy, Ph.D.
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Education
An Examination of the Effectiveness of Manipulative Letter Instruction on the Decoding Skills of Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Overview

Scott Bellini, Ph.D.
Indiana Resource Center for Autism
Increasing Social Engagement in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders using Video Self-modeling and Peer Training
Overview

Jennifer S. Durocher, Ph.D.
University of Miami Center for Autism and Related Disorders
A Clinical Randomized Control Trial of Joint Attention Intervention in Young Children with ASD
Overview

Janet Graetz, Ph.D.
Oakland University School of Education and Human Services
Identifying the Supports that Promote Success of College Students with Asperger Syndrome
Overview

Connie Kasari, Ph.D.
UCLA Graduate School of Education
Joint Attention Intervention for Nonverbal Children with Autism
Overview

Isabel Dziobek, Ph.D.
Max Planck Institute for Human Development
Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Social Cognition Training Tool (SCOTT) in ASD on Behavioral, Occulomotor, and Neuronal Levels
Overview

Phil Hineline, Ph.D.
Saul Axelrod, Ph.D.
Temple University
Evaluating Intensive Behavioral Interventions in Autism
Overview

Paul Wehman, Ph.D.
Children’s National Medical Center
Efficacy of Community-based Instruction and Supported Employment on the Competitive Employment Outcomes of Transition-age Youth with Autism
Overview

2006 Research Competition

Phil Hineline, Ph.D., BCBA
Saul Axelrod, Ph.D., BCBA
Temple University
Evaluating intensive behavioral interventions for autism: “Discrete trial” and “Applied Verbal Behavior”
Overview

Carla Mazefsky, Ph.D.
Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh
Adolescents and Adults, Effective Instruction
Comorbid Psychiatric Disorders in Adolescents and Young Adults with Asperger’s Disorder
Overview

Shana Nichols, Ph.D.
Fay J. Lindner Center for Autism/NS-LIJ Health System
Growing Up on the Autism Spectrum: A Parent Education and Skill Building Curriculum
Overview

Beth Malow, M.D., M.S.
Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development
Parental sleep education program for children with autism spectrum disorder
Overview

Raymond Romanczyk, Ph.D., BCBA
Institute for Child Development at SUNY Binghamton
A Multi-method Assessment and treatment of Social Skills Core Deficit in ASD
Overview

Marlene Cohen, Ed.D., BCBA
Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center
Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey
The Effects of Precision Teaching with Frequency Building of Language Component Skills on the Performance of Language Composite Skills in Adolescents and Adults with Autism
Overview

Brian Lopez, Ph.D.
Dina E. Hill, Ph.D.
University of New Mexico School of Medicine
The Identification of Early, Mutli-systemic Factors Influencing Treatment Initiation for Children with ASD
Overview

2005 Research Competition

Eric M. Butter, Ph.D.
The Columbus Children’s Hospital Autism Center
The Ohio State University, Nisonger Center
Family, Early Intervention
Demonstration of a Parent Mediated Generalization Program to Enhance Outcomes During EIBI for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: PEPING Up EIBI
Overview

Marlene J. Cohen, Ed.D., BCBA
Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center
Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey
Adolescents and Adults, Effective Instruction
The Effects of Precision Teaching with Frequency Building of Fine Motor Skills on the Performance of Functional Life Skills in Adolescents and Adults with Autism
Overview

Kevin P. Klatt, Ph.D., BCBA
Department of Psychology
University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire
Effective Instruction
A comparison of simultaneous prompt and constant prompt delay procedures on teaching skills to young children with autism
Overview

Kathleen Koenig, MSN
Yale Child Study Center
Yale University
Social Behavior
Development of an instrument for measuring change in social behavior for children with autism spectrum conditions: The Social Reciprocity Observation Measure
Overview

Raymond G. Romanczyk, Ph.D., BCBA
Jennifer M. Gillis, M.A., BCBA
Institute for Child Development
Binghamton University
Social Behavior
A Multi-Method Assessment and Treatment of the Social Skills Core Deficit in ASD
Overview

Emily Jones, Ph.D., BCBA **Second Year of Funding
Kathleen Feeley, Ph.D., BCBA
Long Island University
Joint Attention
Joint Attention Intervention for Children with Autism
Overview

Brenda Smith Myles, Ph.D.**Second Year of Funding
Department of Special Education
The University of Kansas
Asperger Syndrome
Assessment of Characteristics of Students with Asperger Syndrome and the Evaluation of the Mind Reading Computer Software on the Emotion Recognition Ability of Students with Asperger Syndrome
Overview

Judy Reaven, Ph.D. **Second Year of Funding
Susan Hepburn, Ph.D.
Health Sciences Center
The University of Colorado
Family, Effective Instruction
Family-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention for Anxiety Symptoms in Children with High-Functioning Autism or Asperger Syndrome
Overview

2004 Research Competition

Kevin Ayres, M.A.
Department of Special Education
The University of Georgia
Social Behavior
Improving Social Skills Using Computer-Based Interventions
Overview

Emily Jones, Ph.D., BCBA
Kathleen Feeley, Ph.D., BCBA
Long Island University
Joint Attention
Joint Attention Intervention for Children with Autism
Overview

Brenda Smith Myles, Ph.D.
Department of Special Education
The University of Kansas
Asperger Syndrome
Assessment of Characteristics of Students with Asperger Syndrome and the Evaluation of the Mind Reading Computer Software on the Emotion Recognition Ability of Students with Asperger Syndrome
Overview

Karen Pierce, Ph.D.
Eric Courchesne, Ph.D.
Department of Neurosciences
The University of California, San Diego
Early Diagnosis
Early Identification of Autism: Warning Signs from Brain and Behavior
Overview

Judy Reaven, Ph.D.
Susan Hepburn, Ph.D.
Health Sciences Center
The University of Colorado
Family, Effective Intervention
Family-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention for Anxiety Symptoms in Children with High-Functioning Autism or Asperger Syndrome
Overview

2003 Research Competition

John Burke, Ph.D.
Richard Hudson, Ph.D.
Kentucky Autism Training Center
The University of Louisville
Adults, Employment
Removal of Social Barriers to Employment for Persons with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Overview
Research summary

Jonathan M. Campbell, Ph.D.
Department of Educational Psychology
The University of Georgia
Social Inclusion
The New Friendship Study, Part III: The Influence of Information on Middle School Students’ Attitudes and Behavioral Intentions towards a Peer with Autism
Overview
Research summary

Edward G. Carr, Ph.D.
Department of Psychology
State University of New York at Stony Brook
Family, Challenging Behavior
Problem Behavior: The Development of a Contextual Assessment Inventory for Use by Families
Overview
Research summary

Brooke Ingersoll, Ph.D.
Autism Treatment and Research Program
Hearing and Speech Institute
Portland, Oregon
Communication
Teaching the imitation and spontaneous use of gestures using a naturalistic behavioral intervention in young children with autism
Overview

Lawrence Scahill, MSN, Ph.D.
Yale Child Study Center
Social Behavior
Social Skills Development in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Overview

Inaugural Research Competition (2002)

Richard M. Kubina, Jr., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Special Education
Department of Educational and School Psychology and Special Education
The Pennsylvania State University
Effective Intervention
Fluency Research for Children with Autism
Overview
Research summary

Robert Stromer, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Psychiatry
University of Massachusetts Medical School, Shriver Center
Social Behavior, Technology Applications
Teaching Social Communication Using Picture Activity Schedules
Overview
Research summary

More on the inaugural competition.