Mirela Cengher, Ph.D.

Education

• Postdoctoral Fellowship — Kennedy Krieger Institute and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, 2019
• Ph.D., Behavior Analysis — The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, 2017

Area of Study

• Psychology, Behavior Analysis

Courses Taught

• Measurement in Applied Behavior Analysis (PSYC 616)
• Verbal Behavior (PSYC 662)
• Learning (PSYC 210)
• Applied Behavior Analysis (PSYC 411)

Research Interests

The overarching theme of Dr. Cengher’s research is the development of effective procedures to enhance learning in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities. Dr. Cengher is specifically interested in variables that influence language development and other complex skills (e.g., concept formation), as well as functional assessment and treatment of problem behavior.

Graduate Research and Training Opportunities

Yes: Accepting new ABA M.A. students for Fall 2027.

Graduate students will have multiple opportunities to develop research projects, to participate in manuscript preparation for publication, to participate in grant writing, to attend and present at professional conferences, and to develop leadership skills while working with team members at various stages of their academic development. As an advisor, my main objective is to help students develop a repertoire of skills that will make them well-rounded researchers or scientist practitioners.

Undergraduate Research and Training Opportunities

Yes: Undergraduate opportunities available

Undergraduate students can learn about science by conducting research, collecting data, and analyzing data. Students will have opportunities to participate in manuscript preparation for publication and to present at conferences. Given appropriate research experience in the lab, students can also conduct independent research projects. Students will receive mentorship on being competitive candidates for graduate school, choosing appropriate graduate programs, and general career development.

Graduate Program Affiliation(s)

• Applied Behavior Analysis
• Applied Developmental Psychology

Selected Publications

• Stimulus equivalence and transfer of function: teaching categorization skills to children with autism. Clayborne, J., Cengher, M., Shawler, L., & Frampton, R. (2024). Behavioral Interventions. Advance online publication.
• Schedule thinning using a structured terminal probe process for multiple schedule treatments. Strohmeier, C., Cengher, M., Chin, M., & Falligant, J. M. (2024). Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 57(3), 676-694.
• Peer review in behavior analytic journals. Cengher, M., & LeBlanc, L. A. (2024). Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 57(1), 153-165.
• Reviewing manuscripts for behavior analytic journals: a primer. Cengher, M., & LeBlanc, L. A., (2024). Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. 57(1), 71-85.
• Motivating operations and mands for information: A systematic review. Cengher, M., Bowman, M., Shawler, L., Ceribo-Singh, M. (2022). Behavioral Interventions, 37(3), 864-886.
• Establishing derived reinforcers via stimulus equivalence. Shawler, L., Cengher, M., & Miguel, C. F. (2022). Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 117(2), 180-200,
• Motivating operations and mands for information: a systematic review. Cengher, M., Bowman, M.*, Shawler, L., Ceribo-Singh, M.* (2022). Behavioral Interventions, 37(3), 864-886. 
• Establishing derived reinforcers via stimulus equivalence. Shawler, L., Cengher, M., & Miguel, C. F. (2022). Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 117(2), 180-200.
• Assessment and treatment of problem behavior maintained by escape from attention. Cengher, M., O’Connor, J. T., & Strohmeier, C. W. (2022). Behavioral Interventions, 37(2), 204-221.
• Behavioral assessment and treatment of aerophagia. Cengher, M., & Strohmeier, C. W. (2021). Clinical Case Studies, 21(3), 249-265.
• Teaching a small vocabulary to children using tact and listener instruction with a prompt delay. Cortez, M., da Silva, L., Cengher, M., Mazzoca, R., & Miguel, C. F. (2021). Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 55(1), 249-263.
• Assessment and treatment of selective mutism in a child with autism spectrum disorder. Cengher, M., Clayborne, J. C., Crouch, A. E., & O’Connor, J. T. (2021). Clinical Case Studies, 20(3), 248-264.
• When attention is not a reinforcer: assessment and treatment of escape from attention. Cengher, M., Clayborne, J. C., & O’Connor, J. (2020). Behavioral Interventions, 36(1), 21-39.
• Presession attention affects the acquisition of tacts and intraverbals. Cengher, M. & Fienup, D. M. (2020). Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 53(3), 1742-1767. 

CV

Dr. Mirela Cengher CV – Last Updated September 2024