Deborah A. Napolitano, Ph.D.

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Contact

University of Rochester
School of Medicine and Dentistry
601 Elmwood Ave, Box 671
Rochester, New York 14642

Portrait

Dr. Napolitano has broad research interests in the area of developmental and intellectual disabilities such as Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS). Her research has focused on three primary areas, a) biobehavioral interventions (e.g., effects of medication on problem behavior and the interaction between medication and behavioral interventions) b) functional assessment and treatment of severe problem behavior, and c) interventions for repetitive behavior. Dr. Napolitano has obtained research funding to examine interventions to increase diverse responding in persons with ASD. Dr. Napolitano also has worked with her research mentors on several federally funded research projects. She worked as a project coordinator for Dr. Steven Schroeder at the University of Kansas on a clinical trial of Risperdal for persons with autism and other developmental and intellectual disabilities and most recently at the University of Rochester as a co-investigator on Dr. Jennifer Zarcone's research examining the compulsive behavior of persons with Prader-Willi Syndrome.

Specialty

Developmental Disabilities

Current Appointments

Education
PhD Developmental & Child Psychology University of Kansas 2000
MA Early Childhood Education & Applied Behavior Analysis University of Kansas 1994
BA Communications & Human Relations Western Connecticut State University 1987
Recent Journal Articles
Showing the 5 most recent journal articles. (18 available)
Zarcone, J.R., Napolitano, D.A., & Valdovinos, M. "Measurement of problem behaviour during medication evaluations." Journal of Intellectual Disability Research (2008): 1015-1028.
Napolitano, D.A., Blaakman, L.A., Kohl, L.B., Vallese, H.M. & McAdam, D.B. (2007). "The use of functional communication training to reduce pica." The Journal of Speech - Language Pathology and Applied Behavior Analysis 1.4-2.1 (2007): 25-31.
Valdovinos, M., & Napolitano, D.A. "Brief review of the effects of psychotropic drugs on Reinforcement, Avoidance, punishment, and functional relations." Mexican Journal of Behavior Analysis (2007): 27-34.
Valdovinos, M. & Napolitano, D.A. "Translational Implications of the Behavioral Effects of Anticonvulsants for Persons with Developmental Disabilities." National Association for the Dually Diagnosed Bulletin (2007).
Zarcone J; Napolitano D; Peterson C; Breidbord J; Ferraioli S; Caruso-Anderson M; Holsen L; Butler MG; Thompson T. "The relationship between compulsive behaviour and academic achievement across the three genetic subtypes of Prader-Willi syndrome." Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR. 2007; 51(Pt. 6):478-87.