Briella Baer Chen

Biography

Briella Baer Chen, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of special education at Towson University. Dr. Chen comes from a multidisciplinary training background through which she has gained expertise in evidence-based practices to support autistic individuals. Prior to pursuing her doctorate at the University of Maryland College Park, Dr. Chen worked as a senior research assistant at the Interactive Autism Network (IAN) at Kennedy Krieger Institute, and completed her Master’s of Health Science in Mental Health at Johns Hopkins University. Currently, Dr. Chen teaches coursework on universal design for learning (UDL) and best practices for teaching autistic students, in addition to conducting research. She firmly believes in the importance of socially valid and neurodiversity-affirming practices to support the independence and well-being of autistic people.

Selected Publications

Access a full list of Dr. Chen’s current publications

• Chen, B.B., & Yakubova, G. (2024). What do autistic youth and young adults want at work? A qualitative study of autistic individuals’ views on key workplace supports. Autism in Adulthood. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2023.0092 
• Chen, B.B., Yakubova, G., O’Connor, J.T., Herman, S., and Myers, L. (2024). Assessing the effects of practitioner-created and implemented video-based intervention to teach vocational skills to autistic young adults. Journal of Special Education Technology, 39(2), 201-216. https://doi.org/10.1177/01626434231187061 
• Chen, B.B., & Yakubova, G. (2023). Evaluating the effects of video-based intervention to teach vocational skills to transition-age youth with autism spectrum disorder: An evidence-based systematic review. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 10, 23-37. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40489-021-00282-7 
• Yakubova, G. & Chen, B.B. (2021). Examining the effects of parent-created and parent-implemented video prompting to teach daily living skills to an adolescent with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 51, 4679-4691. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-021-04913-0
• Chen, B.B., & Yakubova, G. (2019). Promoting independence with vocational audio and video prompting for students with ASD. Teaching Exceptional Children, 52(2), 98-106. https://doi.org/10.1177/0040059919874308 

Selected Presentations

• Chen, B.B., Knollman, G., & Martini, J. (2024, October). Barriers to employment may begin with the boss: Findings from a scoping review of employers' attitudes toward hiring and employing autistic individuals. 2024 CEC Division on Career Development and Transition International Conference, Chantilly, Virginia.
• Wilson, K., Martini, J., Bosnick, C., & Chen, B.B. (2024, October). Evaluating the impact of employment programs: Roundtable discussion based on the Autism Hiring Program at Towson University. 2024 Neurodiversity in the Workplace National Conference, Washington, D.C.
• Chen, B.B., Yakubova, G., O’Connor, J.T., Herman, S., & Myers, L. (2024, January). Partnering with vocational support professionals to evaluate the authentic implementation of video-based intervention to support autistic young adults at work. International Conference on Autism, Intellectual Disability, & Developmental Disabilities, CEC Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Honolulu, Hawaii.
• Chen, B.B., & Yakubova, G. (2023, January). Supporting a neurodiverse workforce: Examining transition-age autistic individuals’ views of critical workplace supports. Council for Exceptional Children International Conference on Autism, Intellectual Disability & Developmental Disabilities, Clearwater Beach, Florida.

Research

• Investigating ways to support autistic youth and young adults as they transition from high school to postsecondary employment and independent living
• Using instructional technology to support autistic individuals in learning new skills, as well as partnering with autism community stakeholders to evaluate the authentic implementation and social validity of these supports

Grants and Contracts

• "Evaluation of ECHO model with TALA students" (2024). France Merrick, $3,024
• "Transition-Age Autistic Perspectives on Critical Workplace Supports" (2023). France Merrick, $4,611.