Directory » LACI WATKINS
201M
Laci Watkins, PhD, BCBA-D, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology. Her research is informed by her prior experience as a special educator and focuses on strategies to support the inclusion of autistic children in schools and communities, social interaction and peer-mediated interventions, social validity of behavioral interventions, improving teacher implementation of evidence-based practices, and statistical analysis of single case experimental design research.
Dr. Watkins is also interested in multidisciplinary collaborations in autism research and training, and she works closely with the Texas A&M Institute for Early Childhood Development & Education. With her Autism & Inclusion lab group, she and her team are involved in community-based research partnerships seeking to improve outcomes for children with autism and developmental disabilities and their families. Her work has been supported by organizations including the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the U.S. Department of Education. Dr. Watkins serves an associate editor of the Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities.
Dr. Watkins is accepting PhD students for Fall 2025.
Dr. Watkins is also interested in multidisciplinary collaborations in autism research and training, and she works closely with the Texas A&M Institute for Early Childhood Development & Education. With her Autism & Inclusion lab group, she and her team are involved in community-based research partnerships seeking to improve outcomes for children with autism and developmental disabilities and their families. Her work has been supported by organizations including the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the U.S. Department of Education. Dr. Watkins serves an associate editor of the Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities.
Dr. Watkins is accepting PhD students for Fall 2025.
Education
Ph.D., Special Education, Autism & Developmental Disabilities, University of Texas at Austin
COURSES TAUGHT
EPSY 630. Single Case Experimental Design
SPED 602. Ethics and Professional Conduct in Special Education and Applied Behavior Analysis
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Journal Articles
Fedewa, M., Watkins, L., Barber, A., & Baggett, J. (2023). Supporting social play of preschoolers with and without autism: A collaborative approach for special educators and speech language pathologists. Early Childhood Education Journal. DOI: 10.1007/s10643-023-01488-6 [published with student]
Friedman, N.R., Watkins, L., Barnard-Brak, L., Barber, A., & White, S.W. (2023). De-implementation of low-value practices for treating autism spectrum disorder. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review. DOI:10.1007/s10567-023-00447-2 [published with student]
Watkins, L., Fedewa, M., Hu, X., & Ledbetter-Cho, K. (2023). A teacher facilitated peer-mediated intervention to support interaction between students with and without autism. Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 7(2), 252-267. [published with student]
Watkins, L., White, S.W., McDaniel, S., Fedewa, M., Cohen, D., & Kana, R. (2023). Including students with autism within the PBIS framework: Recommendations for research and research-informed practice. Preventing School Failure. DOI: 10.1080/1045988X.2023.2212631 [published with student]
Barnard‐Brak, L., Watkins, L., & Richman, D. M. (2021). Autocorrelation and estimates of treatment effect size for single‐case experimental design data. Behavioral Interventions, 36(3), 595-605.
Barnard-Brak, L., Watkins, L., & Richman, D. (2021). Optimal number of baseline sessions before changing phases within single-case experimental designs: A secondary analysis. Behavioural Processes, 191, 104461.
Watkins, L., Tomeny, T., O’Reilly, M., Sillis, K., & Zamora, C. (2021). A naturalistic behavioral intervention to increase interaction between siblings with and without autism. Behavior Modification, 45(6), 863-886
Ledbetter-Cho, K., O’Reilly, M., Watkins, L., Lang, R., Lim, N., Davenport, K., & Murphy, C. (2020). The effects of a teacher-implemented video-enhanced activity schedule intervention on the mathematical skills and collateral behaviors of students with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 53, 553-568.
Watkins, L., O’Reilly, M., Kuhn, M., & Ledbetter-Cho, K. (2019). An interest-based intervention package to increase peer social interaction in young children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 52, 132-149.
Watkins, L., Kuhn, M., Ledbetter-Cho, K., Gevarter, C. & O'Reilly, M. (2017). Evidence-based social communication interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder. Indian Journal of Pediatrics, 84, 68-75.
Watkins, L., O'Reilly, M., Kuhn, M., Gevarter, C., Lancioni, G.E., Sigafoos, J., & Lang, R. (2015). A review of peer-mediated social interaction interventions for students with autism in inclusive settings. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 45, 1070-1083.
RESEARCH PROJECTS
Funded Research and Training Projects
Thompson, J. L., Whiteside, E., & Watkins, L. (2024-2026). R-TAPP (Rural Teaching, Autism and Practitioner Preparation). Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. (Co-PI)
Watkins, L., Erbeli, F., & Whiteside, E. (2023-2028). Project SUCCESS (Supporting Underrepresented Children through Community, Equity-based instruction, and School Supervision of teachers). U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs: Preparation of Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services Leadership Personnel. (PI)
McDaniel, S., Watkins, L., Preast, J., & O’Grady, C. (2020-2025). Project RIIPL (Rural Interdisciplinary, Interconnected Practitioner-Leaders). U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs: Preparation of Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services Leadership Personnel. (Co-PI, at the University of Alabama)
Watkins, L., Erbeli, F., & Whiteside, E. (2023-2028). Project SUCCESS (Supporting Underrepresented Children through Community, Equity-based instruction, and School Supervision of teachers). U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs: Preparation of Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services Leadership Personnel. (PI)
McDaniel, S., Watkins, L., Preast, J., & O’Grady, C. (2020-2025). Project RIIPL (Rural Interdisciplinary, Interconnected Practitioner-Leaders). U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs: Preparation of Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services Leadership Personnel. (Co-PI, at the University of Alabama)
AWARDS
2023 - Behavioral Interventions top cited article
2022 - Behavioral Interventions top cited article
2020 - Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis most read article
2018 - Recipient of Springer-Nature Change the World Initiative in Medicine and Public Health category