Congratulations to Brian Jones, fifth-year PhD School Psychology candidate. Jones' master's thesis, “Supplemental Reading Interventions Implemented by Paraprofessionals: A Meta-Analysis,” was accepted by Psychology in the Schools for a special issue titled: "Current Status and Future Directions for Training and Supporting Paraprofessionals in Schools."

The article has been published online as an early release:

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/pits.22427

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Assistant Professor Cathy Lussier has been named co-faculty director of UCR's Cal Teach Science Math Initiative. Additionally, Dr. Lussier has become a co-PI on the NSF Noyce Scholars program this year, both initiatives focus on increasing the diversity of future STEM teachers. 

Dr. Lussier and School Psychology doctoral student Ashley Pfenning presented at American Psychological Association (APA) annual virtual conference in August. It was titled: "Preparing Teachers for 21st Century STEM Classrooms with English Learners."

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This past August, SUNY Press published University management, the academic profession, and neoliberalism (citation below), written by Professor John S. Levin, and former GSOE Ph.D. students Dr. Marie Martin and Dr. Ariadna López-Damián. This book is based upon research that began in 2010 and included interviews with part-time and full-time faculty, department chairs, and deans at numerous public universities, including research and comprehensive universities, among those the University of California. A number of former graduate students of GSOE’s higher education policy and administration program contributed to the research for this project.

Levin, J. S., Martin, M. C., & López-Damián, A. I. (2020). University management, the academic profession, and neoliberalism. Albany, NY: SUNY Press.

Professor Levin also published the following article:
Gu, J., & Levin, J. S. (2020). Tournament in academia: a comparative analysis of faculty evaluation systems in research universities in China and the USA. High Educ. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-020-00585-4.

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New papers from the CHAAOS Vocabulary team:
Professor Rollanda O’Connor (PI), Professor Keith Widaman. Valencia Youkhanna, PhD candidate, School Psychology; Luisana Suchilt, PhD student, School Psychology; Brian Jones, PhD candidate, School Psychology; Victoria Sanchez, PhD, Special Education ’10, Kristen Beach, PhD, Special Education ’12

O'Connor, R.E., Sanchez, V.M., Jones, B, Suchilt, L., Youkhana, V., & Beach, K.D. (2020). Continuing CHAAOS: Vocabulary Intervention for Students with Disabilities in Eighth Grade Who Are Also English Learners. Learning Disability Quarterly.

O'Connor, R.E., Sanchez, V.M., Jones, B, Suchilt, L., Youkhana, V., Beach, K.D., & Widaman, K. (2020). Systematic CHAAOS: Teaching vocabulary in English/Language Arts special education classes in middle school. Journal of Learning Disabilities. doi:10.77/002221940922839

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Professor Begona Echeverria published a children’s picture book Basque-ing In Numbers (Kontaketa Euskaraz). Illustrated by Lara Scott (University of Pennsylvania, MFA; Yale University, BA in Art), the book draws on Echeverria's expertise as a Professor at UC Riverside’s Graduate School of Education and experience growing up as the Basque-speaking daughter of immigrants to California.
 

“Rhythm and alliteration help children learn the words: the object on each page either has the same number of syllables as the number, starts with the same letter, or rhymes with it. The text is in Basque, with English, Spanish and French translations.These features should make the book more accessible to non-Basque speaking parents who would like to expose their children to Euskera, an endangered language unrelated to any other in the world,” said Echevierra.

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The following is a round-up of research and accomplishments sent on behalf of UCR SEARCH Center: Professor Jan Blacher; Assistant Professor Katherine Stavropoulos; Professor Keith Widaman; Assistant Professor Raquel Rall. Yasamin Bolourian, PhD Special Education, Post-Doctoral Fellow; Elizabeth Baker, PhD student, School Psychology ; Megan Ledoux Galligan, PhD candidate, Special Education ; Ainsley Losh, PhD student, School Psychology ; Elina Veytsman, PhD student, School Psychology ; Michelle Heyman, PhD student, School Psychology ; Tricia Choy, PhD student, School Psychology ; Katie Fullerton, PhD student, Special Education ; Giselle Salinas, PhD student, Special Education ; Ann Marie Martin, PhD candidate, Special Education

PUBLICATIONS:
Baker, E., Veytsman, E., Martin, A. M., Blacher, J., & Stavropoulos, K. (2020). Increased neural reward responsivity in adolescents with ASD after social skills intervention. Brain Sciences, 10(402). doi:10.3390/brainsci/10060402.

Baker, E., & Stavropoulos, K. K. M. (2020). The effects of oxytocin administration on individuals with ASD: Neuroimaging and behavioral evidence. In Progress in Molecular Biology and Translational Science (Vol. 173, pp. 209–238).

Heyman M., Bolourian Y., & Blacher J. (2020) Transition to Early Schooling for Children with ASD. In: McClain M., Shahidullah J., Mezher K. (eds) Interprofessional Care Coordination for Pediatric Autism Spectrum Disorder. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-46295-6_8

Levinson, S., Neuspiel, J., Eisenhower, A., & Blacher, J. (2020). Parent-teacher disagreement on ratings of behavior problems in children with ASD: Associations with parental school involvement over time. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04675-1   

Rodas, N.V., Blacher, J., & Baker, B. L. (2020)  Predictors of anxiety symptom trajectory in children with or without ID from early childhood to adolescence, Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities. https://doi.org/10.1080/19315864.2019.1710787

Rydzewska, E., Fleming, M., Young-Southward, G., Blacher, J., Bolourian, Y., Widaman, K.,Philo, C., & Cooper, S.-A. (2020, in press). General health status in young people with intellectual disabilities with and without Down syndrome in, and transitioning from, special education. Findings from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2). Journal of Intellectual Disability Research. DOI: 10.1111/jir.12781

Bolourian, Y., Losh, A., Ledoux Galligan, M.R., Heyman, M., Choy, T., Fullerton, K., & Blacher, J. (2020). Building classroom relationships in elementary school grades: Strategies for teachers during remote teaching. Riverside, CA: Graduate School of Education, University of California Riverside.

Losh, A., Bolourian, Y., Ledoux Galligan, M., Heyman, M., Choy, T., Fullerton, K., Andoni, L., Thammathorn, P., Hastedt, I., Rall, R. M., Eisenhower, A., & Blacher, J. (2020). Addressing race and racism in the early school years: A guide for educators. Riverside, CA:Graduate School of Education, University of California, Riverside.

Gambetti, B., & Veytsman, E. (2020, Summer). COVID-19 and ASD: Impact on Families, Education, and Services. Psychology in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities/Autism Spectrum Disorder: Official Publication of APA Division 33, 46(1).

Note re: Paper and Poster Presentations: All conferences were virtual, or cancelled as indicated.

PAPER PRESENTATION:
Bolourian, Y., Hamsho, N., Eisenhower, A., & Blacher, J. (2020, May). Smooth Sailing: Iterative development of a teacher-directed intervention. Paper accepted at the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR), as part of a panel entitled “Parents and Teachers: Collateral Benefits for Children with ASD,” Seattle, WA.

Bolourian, Y., Zeedyk, S., & Blacher, J. (2020, May). Autism and the college experience: An empirical base for faculty preparation in autism. Paper accepted at the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR), as part of a panel entitled “Capturing the Complexity of Young Adulthood for Individuals with ASD: Considerations for Measuring, Understanding and Maximizing Outcomes,” Seattle, WA.

Stavropoulos, K., Baker, E., Alba, L., & Veytsman, E. (2020, May). Impact of PEERS Social skills intervention on social motivation and reward. Symposium accepted to the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR) Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA, USA. (Conference cancelled)

Losh, A., Eisenhower, A., & Blacher, J. (2020, May). The impact of parent-teacher relationships on student-teacher relationship development for young students with ASD. Paper session accepted as part of the panel Parent and Teacher: Collateral Benefits for Children with ASD to the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR) 2020 Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA, USA (conference cancelled due to COVID-19).

Bolourian, Y., Ledoux, M., Blacher, J., & Baker, B.L. (2020, April). How worried should we be? Parent and adolescent self-reported anxiety of youth with autism. Paper accepted to the Gatlinburg Conference, San Diego, CA.

POSTER PRESENTATION:
Veytsman, E., Ledoux, M.R., Salinas, G., Baker, B., & Blacher, J. (2020, December). Mothers’ perspectives on the future of their young adults with and without developmental disabilities. Abstract submitted to the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, USA.

Veytsman, E., Baker, E., & Stavropoulos, K. (2020, October). Observed effects of the PEERS social skills intervention for a diverse sample of adolescents with ASD. Poster accepted to the California Association of School Psychologists (CASP) Annual Convention, Palm Springs, CA, USA. (Virtual conference)

Losh, A., Bolourian, Y., & Blacher, J. (2020, October). Student-Teacher Race Incongruence in ASD: Influence on Early Student-Teacher and Parent-Teacher Relationships. Poster session accepted to the California Association of School Psychologists (CASP) 2020 Annual Convention, Palm Springs CA, USA (conference cancelled due to COVID-19).

Veytsman, E., Salinas, G., Ledoux, M.R., Blacher, J., & Baker, B. (2020, August). Staying positive: Dispositional optimism & attitudes for the future among mothers of adults with IDD. Poster accepted to the American Psychological Association (APA) Annual Convention, Washington, D.C., USA. (Conference cancelled)

Choy, T., Baker E., Veytsman, E., Martin, A.M., Blacher, J., & Stavropoulos, K. (2020, August). The relationship between problem behaviors and family life following the PEERS program. Poster accepted to the American Psychological Association (APA) Annual Convention, Washington, D.C., USA. (Conference cancelled)

Baker, E., Martin, A.M., Veytsman, E., & Stavropoulos, K. (2020, August). Neural correlates of social reward processing following the PEERS intervention. Poster accepted to the American Psychological Association (APA) Annual Convention, Washington, D.C., USA. (Conference cancelled)

Martin, A.M., Baker, E., Veytsman, E., Blacher, J., & Stavropoulos, K. (2020, August). Teen perspectives on the social validity of the PEERS social skills program. Poster accepted to the American Psychological Association (APA) Annual Convention, Washington, D.C., USA. (Conference cancelled)

Losh, A., Bolourian, Y., Rodriguez, G., Eisenhower, A., & Blacher, J. (2020, August). Early student-teacher relationships in ASD: Student perspectives and child factors. Abstract accepted to the American Psychological Association (APA) Annual Conference, Washington DC.

Ledoux, M., Heyman, M., Bolourian, Y., Stavropoulos, K., & Blacher, J. (2020, May). The influence of ADOS-2 E-codes on the assessment and classification of autism spectrum disorder. Abstract accepted to the International Society of Autism Research (INSAR), Seattle, WA.

Veytsman, E., Baker, E., & Stavropoulos, K. (2020, May). Observed effects of the PEERS social skills intervention for adolescents with ASD: A predominantly Latin sample. Poster accepted to the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR)  Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA, USA. (Conference cancelled)

Baker, E., Heyman, M., Bolourian, Y., Baker, B.L, & Blacher, J. (2020, April). The role of siblings: Qualitative perspective of adolescents with autism spectrum disorder or intellectual disability and their caregivers. Abstract accepted to the Gatlinburg Conference, San Diego, CA. (Conference canceled)

Heyman, M., Baker, E., Bolourian, Y., Baker, B.L., & Blacher, J. (2020, April). Mother, father, and adolescent perspectives: Sibling relationship quality of individuals with ASD, ID, or TD.  Abstract accepted at the Gatlinburg Conference, San Diego, CA. (Conference canceled)

Losh, A., Bolourian, Y., Rodriguez, G., & Blacher, J. (2020, April). Early student teacher relationships and ASD: Agreement between student and teacher perspectives. Abstract accepted to the Gatlinburg Conference, San Diego, CA. (Conference canceled)

Salinas, G., Veytsman, E., Baker, B., & Blacher, J. (2020, April). Commonalities in coping: Reports from parents of transition age youth across diagnostic groups. Abstract accepted to the Gatlinburg Conference, San Diego, CA. (Conference canceled)

Veytsman, E., Ledoux, M., Salinas, G., Baker, B. & Blacher, J., (2020, April). Parent perspectives on the future of their young adults with and without developmental disabilities. Abstract accepted to the Gatlinburg Conference, San Diego, CA. (Conference canceled)

TRAINING, CERTIFICATES, & AWARDS
Elizabeth Baker elected as APA Division 33 (IDD/ASD) Graduate Student Representative

New Funding from Collaborations with the School of Medicine, UCR:
Center for Health Disparities Research, University of California, Riverside. Mental Health and Educational Risks through the Lens of Disparities: Elevating Family Resilience during COVID-19.  J. Blacher, PhD, Y. Bolourian, PhD, & R. Lee, MD.

Center for Health Disparities Research, University of California, Riverside. A Tele-Health Model of Screening for Autism in Under-Resourced Communities: Closing the Gap in Access. K. Stavropoulos, PhD, T. Cooper, MD, &  J. Blacher, PhD