We conduct qualitative and quantitative research in Southern California border communities among immigrant families whose children are diagnosed with developmental delays such as autism spectrum disorder. Our community partners include preschools, elementary schools, families, and community health centers.
Principal Investigator
Shana R. Cohen
Dr. Cohen’s research examines immigrant families’ socialization processes in rearing their children with disabilities. She is particularly interested in how parents’ beliefs about the causes, symptoms and treatments of autism inform parents’ educational decisions for their children and their parenting practices. She links research to practice by exploring ways to highlight the assets of immigrant families and their children to eliminate disparities in access to and utilization of empirically sound diagnostic and educational services for immigrant families. She also follows children and families over time to understand long-term outcomes of children and their families.
Dr. Cohen received her PhD from the joint doctoral program in special education at UC Berkeley and San Francisco State University. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the SEARCH Family Autism Research Center at UC Riverside. Shana has worked as a clinician, an early childhood special educator, and a political advocate for immigrant Latino children with disabilities and their families. She has taught pre-service teachers in graduate and undergraduate courses focused on the characteristics, etiology, and identification of children with disabilities. Dr. Cohen is a native Spanish-speaker; fluent in spoken and written Spanish.
Our Research Team
We engage in collaborative research activities. We prioritize frequent communication to clarify expectations and support our collaborative research and writing projects.
Collaborators
Alison Wishard Guerra, Associate Professor, Education Studies, UC San Diego
Caren Holtzman, Director, Partners At Learning (PAL) Program, Continuing Lecturer, UC San Diego
Christoforos Mamas, Assistant Professor, Education Studies, UC San Diego
Amanda Datnow, Professor and Chancellor's Associate Endowed Chair, Education Studies, UC San Diego
Tim Brown, Associate Adjunct Professor, Neurosciences, UC San Diego
Terry Jernigan, Distinguished Professor of Cognitive Science, Psychiatry, and Radiology; Director of Center for Human Development, UC San Diego
Pamela Cosman, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering UC San Diego
Leanne Chukoskie, Associate Professor Northeastern University, Bouvé College of Health Sciences
Vista Unified School District