Specialty Areas: Autism Spectrum Disorders; Parent-Child Interaction Therapy; Cognitive Behavior Therapy; Diagnostic Evaluation; Neuropsychological and Educational Testing.

Nicole McDonald is a clinical psychology intern and serves on clinical staff of both the Child Study Center and Bellevue Hospital where she conducts initial evaluations, neuropsychological evaluations, and provides ongoing treatment through a number of our services. Ms. McDonald's clinical interests include autism assessment, neuropsychological evaluations, and the treatment of oppositional behaviors. Her research interests focus on the social and emotional development of young children at risk for autism.

Ms. McDonald is currently pursuing her doctoral degree in clinical psychology at the University of Miami, where she also received her master's degree in clinical psychology. She completed her dissertation, Genetic & Environmental Predictors of Empathy in Children at Risk for an Autism Spectrum Disorder in May 2012. Ms. McDonald received her bachelor's degree in psychology at the University of California, San Diego.

Ms. McDonald is a member of the American Psychological Association, International Society for Autism Research and the Society for Research on Child Development. Ms. McDonald has received numerous honors including the Peter Mundy CARD Graduate Research Award for Clinical Research in Autism.