BCH Logo
BCH Logo
Faja Lab

Susan Faja, PhD

Research Associate, Boston Children's Hospital; Assistant Professor of Pediatrics; Assistant Professor of Psychology, Harvard Medical School

Research Focus
Clinical neuroscience of autism and neurodevelopmental disorders
Brief Research Description
The Faja lab employs neural and behavioral measures of social functioning and executive control. A key focus of the lab is translating existing training programs in the cognitive neuroscience literature for clinical use, developing evidence based interventions, and examining the efficacy of these intervention programs. Through this work we are especially excited to directly test the plasticity of systems that have been implicated in the neurocognitive profile of autism spectrum disorder. The lab is also evaluating whether individual differences measured during cognitive tasks are meaningfully related to development of social abilities and whether social ability relates to health outcomes of adults on the spectrum. By answering these questions, we will gain information about the risk factors and developmental sequences that are involved in ASD and neurodevelopmental disorders. Finally, the Faja lab seeks to improve the sensitivity and accuracy of measurement tools used to capture the skills of individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders across a wide range of functioning and throughout the lifespan.
Key Publications (PMCIDs)

A preliminary randomized, controlled trial of executive function training for children with autism spectrum disorder. Autism.
Faja, S., Clarkson, T. Gilbert, R., Vaidyanathan, A. Greco, G. Rueda, M. R., Combita, L. M., Driscoll, K.
Autism. 2021 Sep 2; PMID: 34474598

The effects of face expertise training on the behavioral performance and brain activity of adults with high functioning autism spectrum disorders.
Faja, S., Webb, S. J., Jones, E., Merkle, K., Kamara, D., Bavaro, J., Aylward, E., & Dawson, G.
J Autism Dev Disord . 2012 Feb;42(2):278-93; PMCID: PMC3707515

Early behavioral intervention is associated with normalized brain activity in young children with autism.
Dawson, G., Jones, E., Merkle, K., Venema, K., Lowy, R., Faja, S., Kamara, D., Murias, M., Greenson, J., Winters, J., Smith, M., Rogers, S., & Webb, S. J.
J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry . 2012 Nov;51(11):1150-9; PMCID: PMC3607427

Reward-based decision making and electrodermal responding by young children with autism spectrum disorders during a gambling task.
Faja, S., Murias, M., Beauchaine, T. P., & Dawson, G.
Autism Res . 2013 Dec;6(6):494-505. PMCID: PMC4104611

Autism and Adult Sex Education: A Literature Review Using the Information–Motivation–Behavioral Skills Framework.
Solomon, D., Pantalone, D. W. & Faja, S.
Sex Disabil . 2019 Sep;37(3):339-351; PMCID: PMC7728167

< BACK TO DIRECTORY