Jennifer Gillis Mattson
Professor
School of Systems Science and Industrial Engineering; Psychology
Background
Jennifer Gillis Mattson received her PhD at °®¶¹´«Ã½ in 2006 after completing a predoctoral internship at Brown University Medical School. She served as an associate professor in Auburn University's Department of Psychology until 2013, when she joined the Psychology Department at °®¶¹´«Ã½. She holds a courtesy professorship in °®¶¹´«Ã½'s Department of Systems Science and Industrial Engineering and is a visiting professor of psychology at CHRIST University in Bengaluru, India.
Gillis Mattson is the co-director of the Institute for Child Development on the °®¶¹´«Ã½ campus and co-director of the Centre for Neurodiversity Research and Innovation at CHRIST University.
Research profile
In general, Gillis Mattson is interested in improving the lives of autistic and neurodivergent individuals across the lifespan. Her research program benefits from valued interprofessional collaborations. A long-term goal is to improve the effectiveness of interventions and supports delivered in a range of settings that are prioritized by the autistic community. To accomplish this, her research is routinely informed by autistic voices and caregiver input.
Current projects in her lab include examination of factors that predict satisfaction and success in higher education for autistic adults, understanding risk factors related to online safety, adapting evidence-based practices in different cultures, development of expertise in autism and neurodiversity in international settings, examination of interventions that improve health indicators through community engagement, risk factors for school absenteeism, and application of machine learning to improve identification of predictors related to accessing services, developmental change, and mental health outcomes.
Education
- Clinical Psychology, °®¶¹´«Ã½, MA, PhD
- Psychology (Honors), °®¶¹´«Ã½, BA
Research Interests
- Lifespan issues for neurodivergent and autistic individuals
- Service provider and parent training, support and professional development
- Dissemination and adaptation of evidence-based practices that benefit autistic individuals in limited-resource settings
Teaching Interests
- Introduction to Applied Behavior Analysis Lab (PSYC 355)
- Evidence-based practice for Autistic Youth (PSYC 493)
Awards
- Excellence in Service & Leadership to Alabama Association for Behavior Analysis
- Provost Award for Excellence in International Education