Autistic Adolescent Social Support and Quality of Life

Project Summary: 

The goal of this project is to gain an understanding of how social relationships affect the quality of life for autistic adolescents ages 14-22. Data will be collected through asynchronous surveys and cognitive profiling batteries live on Zoom with a research assistant. Student research assistants will be asked to assist with data collection and subsequent entry into a REDCap database. This position will require 9 hours of work per week in the Fall and Spring semesters. Students are expected to be flexible with their weekly lab schedule to accommodate participant schedules. Thus, students should expect to commit up to two weekday evenings and one weekend day per week, with two hour blocks dedicated to each of these timeslots.

 

Questions for students to answer:

  • What are your career goals? How does this project prepare you for your career.
  • Explain one of your most important or formative employment experiences. What were the challenges of the job and how did you manage the challenges?
  • Please explain why you are interested in this RA position.
  • What does neurodiversity mean to you?
Name of research group, project, or lab
Disability Inclusion and Community Engagement Lab
Website
https://websites.umass.edu/dice/
Why participate in this opportunity?

This lab position will be a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience working with adolescent participants and their families. The student research assistants selected for this position will have significant training opportunities, including building proficiency with the REDCap data capture platform and receiving training on basic neuropsychological tasks, including the Wechsler Abbreviated Scales of Intelligence-II and the online administration of executive functioning tasks. These skills are highly valued amongst the employers of post-baccalaureate research assistants (for students interested in eventually applying to clinical psychology programs), as well as advisors in graduate programs more generally. Depending on the contributions of the student research assistants, there may be opportunities for authorship on conference presentations. 

Representative publication or further information
kapp-2018-social-support-qol-wellbeing (2).pdf
Logistics Information:
Subject Category
Psychology
Student ranks applicable
Freshman
Sophomore
Junior
Senior
Student qualifications

Students should be familiar with, or willing to learn about, the neurodiversity paradigm as well as the social model and interactionist conceptualizations of disability. Students from the DDHS program, have work or volunteer experience with people with disabilities, or have lived experience with disability or neurodivergence are particularly encouraged to apply. Completion of Psych 241 is preferred but not required. Students who are interested in pursuing a career in clinical psychology are also particularly encouraged to apply. This position is a unique and challenging opportunity to play a significant and participant-facing role in a research study. Accordingly, students must possess strong organization skills and be willing to commit 9 hours per week (yes, it really will be 9 hours most weeks) to the research project, which will include individual work time and project meetings.

On average, tasks assigned to this position will include accessing a lab space in the basement of Bartlett, interfacing with participants on Zoom for up to two hours at a time, administering cognitive measures on Zoom, including a digital version of the WASI-II, and uploading and entering data into the REDCap database. These tasks are not physical in nature but do require students to be able to navigate a computer without the use of a screen reader. 

Time commitment
8-10 h/wk
Position Types and Compensation
Research - Independent Study or Research Assistant credit
Number of openings
2
Techniques learned

Administration and supported scoring of the Wechsler Abbreviated Scales of Intelligence-II and online executive functioning tasks

REDCap database management

Interfacing with adolescent participants and their families, generally

Consenting participants, including a scaffolded assent process for minors and adults who lack the capacity to consent for themselves

Project start
Fall 2025
Contact Information:
Mentors
Elodie Carel
ecarel@umass.edu
Graduate Student
Ashley Woodman
awoodman@umass.edu
Director, Developmental Disabilities and Human Services Program
Name of project director or principal investigator
Elodie Carel
Email address of project director or principal investigator
ecarel@umass.edu
2 sp. | 30 appl.
Hours
8-10 h/wk
Project categories
Psychology