Assistant Professor
Department: Rehabilitation And Movement Sciences
Program: Occupational Therapy (OTD)
Email: a.dallman@rutgers.edu

About

I am a licensed occupational therapist and translational social scientist with a research emphasis on participatory-driven and justice-oriented research. As an occupational therapist, I worked extensively with autistic children and young adults and always strived to effectively use person-centered and evidence-based interventions.

Education

B.M. (Music Therapy), Appalachiah State University
M.S. (Occupational Therapy), UNC Chapel Hill
Ph.D. in Occupational Science, UNC Chapel Hill

Professional Achievements

Research

My program of ASD research emphasizes a methodological focus whereas autistic youth and adults can successfully participate in the research process and highlight their own strengths and experiences. For example, previous research indicates that autistic youth are not able to report on their emotions. However, my research suggests that, when given the right method of evaluation, autistic youth can discuss these significant experiences. I have also used strengths-based multi-modal interviews (i.e., interviews including video, text, and audio) to understand how autistic adults are experiencing and coping with the COVID-19 pandemic.

My research also aims to undercover the phenotype of neurodevelopmental disorders to identify common profiles of dimensional symptoms that impact individuals with developmental disabilities. By identifying profiles of symptoms that overlap and thus share dimensional characteristics across disorders, I can identify how universal treatments can improve outcomes for a variety of developmental populations.

Lastly, my program of research also emphasizes how social determinants and factors outside of individuals impact access to therapy and the outcomes of that therapy. I use a justice-oriented perspective to develop a program of research that hopes to improve the capabilities of the clients and populations I serve.

Publications