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Investor Highlight
See how one foundation is working with UMass Boston to fulfill its mission
to change the future for all who struggle with autism.
Autism Speaks Foundation Grants $1.2 Million
Today, one child in every 150 is diagnosed with autism, making it more common than pediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined. While there are no specific medical treatments or cures, psychology professor Alice Carter, with the generous assistance of the Autism Speaks Foundation, is conducting significant research on early intervention for those who have been diagnosed or are at high risk of being diagnosed.
Her $1.2 million grant project studies how family factors, including parenting practices that enhance a child’s linguistic competence, may be important predictors of long-term outcomes for children with a variety of disabilities. “We believe that this research will ensure that families have access to the most effective early-intervention treatments,” says Carter. “The families in our pilot group were uniformly enthusiastic about the approaches introduced,” she adds.
“The work of Alice Carter and her colleagues represents a very important contribution, and we are grateful for her dedication to the field and to finding the answers,” says Andy Shih, vice president for scientific affairs at Autism Speaks.