Associate Professor of Psychology

Director of Clinical Training

 

Ph.D., University of Denver, 1999

 

Contact Information:

Department of Clinical & Social Sciences in Psychology

University of Rochester

RC Box 270266

Rochester, NY 14627-0266

USA

 

Office: Meliora Hall 492

Telephone: (585) 275-8712

E-mail: loisa.bennetto@rochester.edu

 

 

Research

 

My program of research is broadly directed at examining the neurocognitive bases of developmental disabilities, with the ultimate goal of understanding how abnormal neurocognitive development relates to deficits in communication and social-emotional functioning. Current research in my lab focuses on both strengths and weaknesses of individuals with autism in the domains of verbal and nonverbal communication, imitation and movement, and executive functioning.

 

Many children with autism have difficulty imitating the actions of others. This deficit likely has a profound effect on the development of many communicative, social, and general cognitive skills. My research in this area has focused on understanding why imitation is hard for children with autism by examining component skills such as motor strength and dexterity, body schema, dynamic visuospatial representation and memory, and praxis. We are further exploring the role of dyspraxia in natural communication, by examining the frequency, quality, and temporal integration of gestures in narrative tasks. Other work in our lab focuses on both the nature and etiology of impaired facial expressiveness in autism.

 

Poor communication is one of the defining features of autism, yet little work has examined why many children with autism have delayed or absent language. Our research in this area focuses on the relationship of speech and language development with strengths and weaknesses in neuropsychological functioning. Other work in our lab focuses on the nature of verbal learning and memory in individuals with autism, and the relationship of memory impairment to difficulties with organization and complex information processing.

For more information, please visit Dr. Bennetto's faculty page in the Developmental Program area.

 

Recent Publications

 

• Bennetto, L., Kuschner, E.S., & Hyman, S.L. (2007). Olfaction and taste processing in autism. Biological Psychiatry, 62, 1015-1021.
• Smith, E.G., & Bennetto, L. (2007). Audiovisual speech integration and lipreading in autism. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 48, 813-821.
• Kuschner, E.S., Bennetto, L., & Yost, K. (2007). Patterns of nonverbal cognitive functioning in young children with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 37, 795-807.
• Eigisti, I.M., Bennetto, L., & Dadlani, M.B. (2007). Beyond pragmatics: Morphosyntactic development in autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 37, 1007-1023.
• Diehl, J.D., Bennetto, L., & Young, E.C. (2006). Narrative coherence of high-functioning children with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 34, 87-102.
• Young, E.C., Diehl, J.J., Morris, D., Hyman, S.L., & Bennetto, L. (2005). Pragmatic language disorders in children with autism: The use of two formal tests to distinguish affected children from controls. Language, Speech, and Hearing in the Schools, 36, 62-72.
• Bennetto, L., & Pennington, B.F. (2003). Executive functioning in normal and abnormal development. In S. Segalowitz & I. Rapin, Handbook of Neuropsychology, 2nd Ed., Volume 8, Part II: Child Neuropsychology (pp. 785-802). Amsterdam: Elsevier.
• Bennetto, L., & Pennington, B.F. (2002). The neuropsychology of fragile X syndrome. In R.J. Hagerman (Eds.), Fragile X syndrome: Diagnosis, treatment, and research (3rd ed.) (pp. 206-248). Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press.
• Bennetto, L., Pennington, B.F., Porter, D., Taylor, A.K., & Hagerman, R.J. (2001). Profile of cognitive functioning in women with the fragile X mutation. Neuropsychology, 15, 290-299.

 

Current and Recent Graduate Students

 

• Inge-Marie Eigsti, Ph.D. (2001)
  Dissertation: Word Learning and Memory Functions in Young Children with Autism
  Current position: Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut
• Laura Silverman, Ph.D. (2007)
  2-year Project Title: Semantic Processing and Verbal Memory in Adults with Autism
  Dissertation Title: Gesture Comprehension in High-Functioning Autism
  Current position: Postdoctoral Fellowship, Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester School of Medicine
• Joshua Diehl, Ph.D. (2008)
  2-year Project Title: Coherence in the Narratives of High-Functioning Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
  Dissertation Title:  Prosody Comprehension in High-Functioning Autism
  Current position: Postdoctoral Fellowship, NIMH Research Training Program in Childhood Neurobiological Disorders, Yale University, Child Study Center
• Emily Kuschner, M.A.
  2-year Project Title: Nonverbal Cognitive Abilities in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Non-Autism Developmental Delays, and Typical Development
  Dissertation Title: Visuospatial Processing Style in Autism and Down Syndrome: Pathways to Social Functioning
• Betsy Smith, M.A.
  2-year Project Title: Audiovisual Speech in Autism
  Dissertation Title: TBA
• Susan Lee, B.A. (M.D./Ph.D. candidate, Dept. of Neurobiology and Anatomy)
  Dissertation title: Neural Basis of Audiovisual Integration During Language Comprehension in Autism
• Bryan Harrison, B.A.
  2-year Project Title: TBA

 

Recent Courses Taught

 

• CSP 570: Clinical Assessment I: Psychometrics
• CSP 566: Neurobiological Foundations of Behavior
• PSY/CSP 384 and 385: Practicum in Developmental Disabilities
• PSY/CSP 351 and 352: Research in Developmental Disabilities
• PSY/CSP 282: Abnormal Psychology

 

Grants

 

• 2003-2008:  “Neurobiology of Impaired Facial Expression in Autism” (Part of STAART Autism Research Center Grant: “Genotype and Phenotype of Response to Treatments of Autism,” P. Rodier, P), National Institute of Mental Health
• 2001-2003:  "The Influence of HOX Genes and Cranial Nerve Abnormalities on Impaired Facial and Vocal Expression in Autism," National Alliance for Autism Research

 

Recent Honors and Distinctions

 

• University of Rochester, Goergen Award for Distinguished Achievement and Artistry in Undergraduate Education, 2000