Christine Cukar-Capizzi, PsyD, BCBA

Christine Cukar-Capizzi, PsyD, BCBA, is a child psychologist and board-certified behavior analyst who focuses on the evaluation and treatment of children and adolescents with autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders. She works with young people and their families to better understand each child’s profile of strengths and challenges in order to support their development across settings.

Dr. Cukar-Capizzi conducts comprehensive diagnostic evaluations for autism spectrum disorders and other developmental concerns, using direct assessment, structured observation and caregiver interviews to build a clear picture of each child’s needs. She also provides therapy for children and teens, helping them manage behavior, build communication and social skills, and cope with the emotional impact of developmental differences. She has extensive experience offering behavioral consultation and supports across a variety of settings.

As an assistant professor at Yale School of Medicine, Dr. Cukar-Capizzi takes part in research focused on autism and developmental disabilities. She helps to characterize the clinical features of autism in large, federally funded research studies. Her interests include functional behavior assessment and behavior management strategies for children with autism spectrum disorders.

Dr. Cukar-Capizzi earned her doctoral degree in clinical psychology from the University of Hartford, specializing in work with children and adolescents. She completed a pre-doctoral internship at the May Institute’s Center for Evaluation and Treatment, where she focused on assessment of individuals with autism spectrum disorder. She then completed her postdoctoral training at the Yale Child Study Center, continuing advanced work in autism assessment.