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Deborah A. Napolitano, Ph.D.

Deborah A. Napolitano, Ph.D.

Contact

Administrative (585) 275-6605

About Me

Faculty Appointments

Clinical Associate Professor (Voluntary) - Department of Pediatrics, Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics (SMD)

Credentials

Education

PhD | University of Kansas. Developmental & Child Psychology. 2000

MA | University of Kansas. Early Childhood Education & Applied Behavior Analysis. 1994

BA | Western Connecticut State University. Communications & Human Relations. 1987

Research

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 beh...
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.

Publications

Journal Articles

Perceptions of Body Image by Persons with Prader-Willi Syndrome and their Parents.

Napolitano, DA; Zarcone, JR; Nielsen, S.; Wang, H; Caliendo, JM.

American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. 2010; 115: 43-53.

Measurement of problem behaviour during medication evaluations.

Zarcone, J.R., Napolitano, D.A., & Valdovinos, M.

Journal of Intellectual Disability Research. 2008; : 1015-1028.

The relationship between compulsive behaviour and academic achievement across the three genetic subtypes of Prader-Willi syndrome.

Zarcone J, Napolitano D, Peterson C, Breidbord J, Ferraioli S, Caruso-Anderson M, Holsen L, Butler MG, Thompson T

Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR.. 2007 June 51 (Pt. 6):478-87. Epub 1900 01 01.

The use of functional communication training to reduce pica.

Napolitano, D.A., Blaakman, L.A., Kohl, L.B., Vallese, H.M. & McAdam, D.B. (2007).

The Journal of Speech - Language Pathology and Applied Behavior Analysis. 2007; 1.4-2.1: 25-31.

Brief review of the effects of psychotropic drugs on Reinforcement, Avoidance, punishment, and functional relations.

Valdovinos, M., & Napolitano, D.A.

Mexican Journal of Behavior Analysis. 2007; : 27-34.

Translational Implications of the Behavioral Effects of Anticonvulsants for Persons with Developmental Disabilities.

Valdovinos, M. & Napolitano, D.A.

National Association for the Dually Diagnosed Bulletin. 2007; .

The influence of idiosyncratic antecedent variables on the problem behavior displayed by a person with PDD.

Napolitano, D. A., Tessing, J. L., McAdam, D. B., Dunleavy, J. J., Cifuni, N. M.

Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities. 2006; 18: 295-305.

The effects of providing access to stimuli following choice making during vocal preference assessments.

Tessing JL, Napolitano DA, McAdam DB, DiCesare A, Axelrod S

Journal of applied behavior analysis.. 2006 39 (4):501-6. Epub 1900 01 01.

Behavioral interventions to reduce the pica of persons with developmental disabilities.

McAdam DB, Sherman JA, Sheldon JB, Napolitano DA

Behavior modification.. 2004 January 28 (1):45-72. Epub 1900 01 01.

Venlafaxine and increased aggression in a female with autism.

Marshall BL, Napolitano DA, McAdam DB, Dunleavy III JJ, Tessing JL, Varrell J

Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.. 2003 April 42 (4):383-4. Epub 1900 01 01.

Rate-decreasing effects of the atypical neuroleptic risperidone attenuated by conditions of reinforcement in a woman with mental retardation.

Yoo JH, Williams DC, Napolitano DA, Peyton RT, Baer DM, Schroeder SR

Journal of applied behavior analysis.. 2003 36 (2):245-8. Epub 1900 01 01.

Multimodal evaluation of risperidone for destructive behavior: functional analysis, direct observations, rating scales, and psychiatric impressions.

Valdovinos MG, Napolitano DA, Zarcone JR, Hellings JA, Williams DC, Schroeder SR

Experimental and clinical psychopharmacology.. 2002 August 10 (3):268-75. Epub 1900 01 01.

Effects of risperidone on aberrant behavior in persons with developmental disabilities: II. Social validity measures.

McAdam DB, Zarcone JR, Hellings J, Napolitano DA, Schroeder SR

American journal of mental retardation : AJMR.. 2002 July 107 (4):261-9. Epub 1900 01 01.

Drug-behavior interactions in persons with mental retardation and developmental disabilities.

Napolitano, D.A., Jack, S.L., Sheldon, J. B., Williams, D.C., McAdam, D.B., Schroeder, S. R.

Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Research and Reviews. 1999; 5: 322-344.

Brief review of the effects of psychotropic drugs on Reinforcement, avoidance, punishment, and functional relations.

Valdovinos, M., Napolitano, D. A.

Mexican Journal of Behavior Analysis.

Translational Implications of the Behavioral Effects of Anticonvulsants for Persons with Developmental Disabilities.

Valdovinos, M. & Napolitano, D.A. (2007).

National Association for the Dually Diagnosed Bulleting. 10: 23-30.

Measurement of problem behaviour when evaluating medication effects.

Zarcone, J.R.; Napolitano, D. A.; & Valdovinos, M. G.

Journal of Intellectual Disability Research.

Increasing response diversity in children with autism

Napolitano, DA., Smith T., Zarcone, JR.,Goodkin, K., McAdam DB.

Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. .

Books

Functional Assessment and Treatment of Problem Behavior (2012)

Chapter: The Role of Functional Assessment in Treatment Planning In: J. Matson (Ed.),

Autism Spectrum Disorders: Applied Behavior Analysis Evidence & (2007)

Chapter: Autism and Applied Behavior Analysis