Catch Me If You Can: Novel Mechanisms of Social Functioning and Intervention in Youth With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Matthew D. Lerner, PhD, is an associate professor of psychology psychiatry, and pediatrics in the Department of Psychology at Stony Brook University, where he directs the Social Competence and Treatment Lab. He is the founding director and current research director of the Spotlight Program at the Northeast Arc in Massachusetts, a program for social competence and confidence development, serving more than 200 youth annually.

Dr. Lerner’s research focuses on understanding emergence and “real world” implications of social problems in children and adolescents (especially those with autism spectrum disorder) as well as development, evaluation and dissemination of novel, evidence-based approaches for ameliorating those problems.

He has published roughly 75 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters; he serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, the Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, Behavior Therapy, and Clinical Child & Family Psychology Review. Dr. Lerner has received grants from organizations including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, the Simons Foundation, the Medical Foundation, the American Psychological Association, the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, and the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. He has received several acknowledgments and awards, including the Biobehavioral Research Award for Innovative New Scientists from the National Institute of Mental Health, Young Investigator Awards from the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation and the International Society for Autism Research, the Susan Nolen-Hoeksema Early Career Research Award from the Society for a Science of Clinical Psychology, the Transformative Contributions Award from the Autism & Developmental Disabilities SIG of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, and the Rising Star designation from the Association for Psychological Science.

CME Accreditation:

Northwell Health is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Credit Designation:

Northwell Health designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 credits ™.  Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Disclosure Policy:

Northwell Health adheres to the ACCME’s Standards for Commercial Support. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CME activity, including faculty, planners, reviewers or others are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with commercial interests. All relevant conflicts of interest will be resolved prior to the commencement of the activity.

Planner and Speaker’s Disclosures: 

Harold Koplewicz, MD, Ron Steingard, MD, and John Q. Young, MD, have nothing to disclose. Matthew Lerner, PhD, has nothing to disclose.

Recognition of Program Support:

An announcement of program support will be made to all attendees at the beginning of each Regularly Scheduled Session.