Partners in School: Promoting Continuity across Home and School for Children with Autism by Improving Parent-Teacher Communication during the Transition to School

候选人的职业目标是成为一名以学校为基础的心理健康服务研究员，促进家庭健康

The candidate's career goal is to be a school-based mental health services researcher who promotes family- school partnerships in diverse communities. The overarching goal of her research is to maximize continuity for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by ensuring that parents and teachers are aligned in conducting the same evidence-based practices (EBPs) across home and school. Her short term research objectives are to: (1) refine Partners in School by adapting an evidence-based health communication training for use in edu- cational settings; and (2) apply this approach to improve parent-teacher communication during the transition to school for children with ASD. A supplement to this Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development (K23) Award is requested to support the candidate's research productivity during a critical life event (child birth scheduled for 11/17/20). Her maternity leave, in conjunction with newborn care, may affect progress on the parent award. The supplemental funds will be used to hire a research assistant (RA), who will be instrumental in sustaining recruitment, screening, and scheduling of the focus groups. A second project computer also is requested, given that the RAs and candidate may be in different locations (i.e., working remotely) and will need to easily access project files. Given the precautions necessary for COVID-19, electronic devices are being re- quested for research subjects to participant in the virtual focus groups (Aim 1), as well as provide data for the feasibility and acceptability pilot test (Aim 2). Finally, salary support for a data analyst is requested for consulta- tion and support in the quantitative component of the mixed methods analyses proposed in Aim 2. A detailed plan has been collaboratively developed between the candidate and her primary mentor, Jeremy Veenstra- VanderWeele, MD, to ensure a return to full productivity at the end of the supplemental period (1/1/20- 12/31/20). The supplemental period will be broken into four quarters. The research and training activities will be gradually added with each subsequent quarter until full productivity is obtained by December of 2021. There is strong institutional support from the Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene at the New York State Psychi- atric Institute and the Department of Psychiatry at the Columbia Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. The Institute and Department will provide the candidate with the research administrative support, equipment, facilities, information systems, and technology support to ensure that she returns to full productivity and re- mains on a research career trajectory. This planned course of action will guarantee that the candidate com- pletes the research and training goals for Year 1 and Year 2 as originally proposed in the parent award. The candidate is an ideal recipient of a supplement because she has already made great progress on her research aims and training activities, and the additional funds will minimize disruptions to her research progress. The candidate has demonstrated strong commitment to a research career during past critical life events. If award- ed, this supplement will provide the support to succeed in her K23 and transition to research independence.