Jessica Brian, PhD, CPsych

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Research

Research Focus:

Jessica Brian is a Psychologist and Senior Clinician Scientist at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital and Associate Professor at the University of Toronto in the department of Paediatrics. She co-leads the Autism Research Centre at Holland Bloorview. Dr. Brian received her Ph.D. from the clinical-developmental program at York University and received intensive training in Applied Behaviour Analysis during a full-year internship at the Princeton Child Development Institute in New Jersey. Jessica has been heavily involved in a range of multi-site research programs aimed at understanding the emergence of ASD, the behavioural phenotype, and genetic markers of ASD and related disorders. For over a decade, Dr. Brian has been involved in the Canadian Infant Siblings Study, and is a member of the international Baby Siblings Research Consortium. Jessica co-developed and led the evaluation of the Social ABCs, a very early parent-mediated intervention for infants and toddlers with emerging ASD or related social-communication challenges.

Click to see Dr. Jessica Brian's Publications on Google Scholar

Education & Profession

Education:

• Ph.D., Psychology (Clinical-Developmental), York University

• MA, Clinical Developmental Psychology, York University

• BA (Hons), Psychology, Queen's University at Kingston

Professional Memberships:

• College of Psychologists of Ontario

• Canadian Psychological Association

• Baby Sibling Research Consortium

University Positions / Affiliations:

• Associate Professor, Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto 

• Adjunct Professor, OISE/UT, Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development, University of Toronto

• Member, OISE/UT, School of Graduate Studies, University of Toronto

Honours and Awards:

NATIONAL:

• Medical Research Council of Canada Studentship Award, York University, Toronto, ON (Academic years 1993-1997)

LOCAL: 

• York University Scholarship, York University, Toronto, ON (Academic year 1991 - 1992) 

• Senator Frank Carrell Upper Year Scholarship, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON (Academic years 1987-1990)

• Thesis/Dissertation Award (nominee), York University, Toronto, ON (Dec 1999)

Innovation

Assessment Measures Developed:

• Autism Observation Scale for Infants (AOSI; Bryson et al.) - currently available for use in research studies only. 
• Co-developer of the Social ABCs, a parent-mediated early intervention for infants and toddlers with emerging ASD or related social-communication challenges. Led the pilot and RCT evaluation of this intervention program, a child-care model, and the development of an abbreviated, group-based model. Overseeing a large community implementation of the standard Social ABCs.

Current Projects

• Behavioural Intervention
  • Evaluation of Social ABCs with Attention Training Intervention for Toddlers with Suspected Autism
  • Group Social ABCs for toddlers with suspected or diagnosed Autism: Evaluation of a clinic-based behavioural intervention
  • Social ABCs Training for Early Childhood Educators at Humber College
  • Social ABCs for Toddlers with Suspected Autism: Evaluation of a Parent-Mediated Intervention
• Characterizing Autism
  • The Role of Emotion Regulation and Arousal in Anxiety and Autism (Typically Developing)
  • The Role of Emotion Regulation and Arousal in Anxiety and Autism (ASD)
  • Infant Sibling Study: Attention and Emotional Regulation in Typical Development and Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • Province of Ontario Neurodevelopmental Disorders-Network (POND-Network)
  • Understanding Early Development Trajectories in Autism: From Infancy to Middle Childhood
  • Early Development in Infants at Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Identifying Early Bio-Behavioural Markers
  • POND-Network: Province of Ontario Neurodevelopmental Disorders Network (Typically developing)
• Medication Clinical Trials
  • Intranasal Oxytocin for the Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorders
  • A Pilot Dose Finding Study of Pioglitazone in Children with ASD
  • A Pilot Study of Riluzole vs. Placebo in the Treatment of Children and Adolescents with ASD
  • Intranasal Oxytocin for the Treatment of Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)

Contact Info

Contact Information:

Bloorview Research Institute
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital 
150 Kilgour Road Toronto, Ontario M4G 1R8                                                                       

T: 416-425-6220, Ext. 3716

 F: 416-422-7045

Contact Email:
jbrian@hollandbloorview.ca

Media Expertise

autism spectrum disorder - early identification and intervention