Grant Award to Florida State University

We are proud to announce a grant of $16,000 dollars  to Michele Parker, PhD and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Michael Killian, PhD, both at Florida State University.

This project will enlighten the research on key relational processes.

The MRI funded research is an extension of an existing study whose purpose is to determine the effectiveness of telehealth compared to in-person family therapy in the treatment of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their families. The recent stay – at – home quarantine associated with the COVID-19 outbreak has been particularly challenging to children with ASD and their families, as disruptions to daily routine and limited access to ASD specialists has adversely affected family functioning.  In response to the unprecedented global pandemic, healthcare providers are now relying primarily on virtual platforms as a method of healthcare delivery.  These circumstances present a unique opportunity to assess the effectiveness of telehealth as a means of conducting family therapy. The results will offer preliminary findings to compare clinical outcomes associated with telehealth and in-person family therapy in the treatment of ASD. Findings from their proposal will offer a valuable and innovative contribution to research – informed treatment recommendations for children with ASD and their families.  

Stay tuned as we announce new grants and share with you the progress that our grantees are making in their research.