Harlee Onovbiona, M.A

Harlee is a fourth-year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology program. Her clinical interests include providing treatments for children with disruptive behavior disorders and autism spectrum disorder in hopes of improving behaviors and outcomes. Harlee is particularly interested in family-centered interventions, such as Parent-Child Interaction Therapy. Her research interests include dissemination and implementation of evidence-based treatments for autistic youth and children with disruptive behavior disorders, assessing risk and resilience factors (e.g., trauma experiences, racial socialization, self-advocacy, and racial discrimination, contextual factors, family and peer relationships) that may impact outcomes for systemically marginalized groups ( e.g., BIPOC families, foster care youth, and youth in juvenile detention centers), and implementation of culturally competent treatment interventions to address cultural disparities within this population. Her master’s thesis investigated the impact racial and logistical barriers experienced by Black families of autistic youth have on parental stress, treatment effectiveness and satisfaction. Her dissertation is exploring the impact of a culturally grounded PCIT training for Black and Latine clinicians serving autistic youth. Ultimately, Harlee is passionate about bridging the gap between research, practice, and service to address child development in culturally diverse underserved populations.

Education

M.A Psychology, University of Arkansas

B.S Biology and Psychology, Florida State University

Current Projects

Equity and Access to Care: Barriers to Diagnostic and Treatment Services for Black Families of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Testing a Culturally Grounded Training for Black and Latine Clinicians: Creating Communities in PCIT for Providers of Autistic Youth

Empowering Through Service: Creating a Community of Support for Black Parents of Autistic Individuals

Publications

Onovbiona, H.U,  Quetsch, L.B, Bradley, R. (2023). Racial and practical barriers to diagnostic and treatment services for Black families of autistic youth: A mixed-method exploration. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-023-06166-5  

Quetsch, L.B, Onovbiona, H. U., Bradley, R., Brown, C., Aloia, L., & Kanne, S. (2023).Understanding aggression in autism over childhood: comparisons with a neurotypical sample. Autism Research. http://doi.org/10.1002/aur.2930.

Onovbiona, H.U, Mapes, A. R., Quetsch, L. B., Theodorou, L. L., & McNeil, C. B. (2023). Parent-child interaction therapy for children in foster care and children with posttraumatic stress: Exploring behavioral outcomes and graduation rates in a large state-wide sample. Children and Youth Service Review. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2022.106797

Quetsch, L. B., Onovbiona, H.U., Bradley, R., & Jackson, C. B. (2022). What do I do? Caregiver decision-making on young child schooling and care in the face of the covid-19 pandemic. Children and Youth Service Review. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2022.106437.