Cara Keifer, PhD
Cards
About
Titles
Assistant Professor of Child Psychology in the Child Study Center
Appointments
Child Study Center
Assistant ProfessorPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
Education & Training
- PhD
- Stony Brook University, Clinical Psychology (2021)
- MA
- Stony Brook University, Clinical Psychology (2017)
- BA
- Haverford College, Psychology (2013)
Research
Publications
2024
Assessment and Treatment Planning in Autistic Adults
Keifer C, Ventola P, Wolf J. Assessment and Treatment Planning in Autistic Adults. 2024, 367-383. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-46463-8_15.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2023
Investigating the Face Inversion Effect in Autism Across Behavioral and Neural Measures of Face Processing
Griffin J, Azu M, Cramer-Benjamin S, Franke C, Herman N, Iqbal R, Keifer C, Rosenthal L, McPartland J. Investigating the Face Inversion Effect in Autism Across Behavioral and Neural Measures of Face Processing. JAMA Psychiatry 2023, 80: 1026-1036. PMID: 37405787, PMCID: PMC10323765, DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2023.2105.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchFace processing systemFace inversion effectAutism spectrum disorderInversion effectFace processingNeurotypical sampleAutistic individualsEffect sizeHuman social cognitionPerformance differencesFace recognition taskPerformance-based measuresSocial cognitionNeural measuresNeurotypical individualsPsychological constructsNeural responsesSpectrum disorderElectrophysiological measuresRecognition taskBrain functioningBehavioral paradigmsRecognition demandsIdentity recognitionNeural systems
2022
Linear discriminant analysis of phenotypic data for classifying autism spectrum disorder by diagnosis and sex
Jacokes Z, Jack A, Sullivan C, Aylward E, Bookheimer S, Dapretto M, Bernier R, Geschwind D, Sukhodolsky D, McPartland J, Webb S, Torgerson C, Eilbott J, Kenworthy L, Pelphrey K, Van Horn J, Consortium T, Ankenman K, Corrigan S, Depedro-Mercier D, Gaab N, Guilford D, Gupta A, Jeste S, Keifer C, Kresse A, Libsack E, Lowe J, MacDonnell E, McDonald N, Naples A, Nelson C, Neuhaus E, Ventola P, Welker O, Wolf J. Linear discriminant analysis of phenotypic data for classifying autism spectrum disorder by diagnosis and sex. Frontiers In Neuroscience 2022, 16: 1040085. PMID: 36466170, PMCID: PMC9709432, DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.1040085.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2020
Evidence of an Own-Age Bias in Facial Emotion Recognition for Adolescents With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder
Hauschild KM, Felsman P, Keifer CM, Lerner MD. Evidence of an Own-Age Bias in Facial Emotion Recognition for Adolescents With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder. Frontiers In Psychiatry 2020, 11: 428. PMID: 32581859, PMCID: PMC7286307, DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00428.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchOwn-age biasAutism spectrum disorderASD statusPerceptual expertiseFER taskSpectrum disorderFace recognition memoryFace processing deficitsFacial emotion recognitionAbility of adolescentsRecognition memoryAdult facesEmotion recognitionASD severityFER accuracyProcessing advantageConsistent deficitsNormative levelsAdolescentsOwn agePoor performanceTaskDeficitsFaceFER performancePrediction of social behavior in autism spectrum disorders: Explicit versus implicit social cognition
Keifer CM, Mikami AY, Morris JP, Libsack EJ, Lerner MD. Prediction of social behavior in autism spectrum disorders: Explicit versus implicit social cognition. Autism 2020, 24: 1758-1772. PMID: 32484000, PMCID: PMC7541482, DOI: 10.1177/1362361320922058.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsImplicit social cognitionAutism spectrum disorderExplicit social cognitionSocial cognitionCompetent social behaviorSpectrum disorderSocial behaviorSocial deficitsSocial informationSocial cognition abilitiesDevelopment of interventionsCognition abilitiesSocial communicationBrain measuresSocial situationsCognitionSocial normsDeficitsHallmark featureResult of problemsDisordersDifficultiesMeasuresBehaviorYouth
2019
Differences in the Late Positive Potential and P300 to Emotional Faces in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Keifer CM, Hauschild KM, Nelson BD, Hajcak G, Lerner MD. Differences in the Late Positive Potential and P300 to Emotional Faces in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal Of Autism And Developmental Disorders 2019, 49: 5009-5022. PMID: 31486998, DOI: 10.1007/s10803-019-04207-6.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAutism spectrum disorderLow-intensity faceASD symptomatologyEmotional intensitySpectrum disorderFacial emotion recognition taskEarly event-related potential (ERP) responsesEvent-related potential responsesLate positive potentialSocial-emotional processingEmotion recognition taskSocial-emotional stimuliHigh intensity facesEmotional facesElaborative processingEmotional stimuliEmotional processingRecognition taskPositive potentialsP300StimuliSymptomatologyFaceProcessingAdultsSocial motivation in autism: Gaps and directions for measurement of a putative core construct
Keifer C, Dichter G, McPartland J, Lerner M. Social motivation in autism: Gaps and directions for measurement of a putative core construct. Behavioral And Brain Sciences 2019, 42: e95. DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x18002418.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDiscrete electrocortical predictors of anxiety and anxiety-related treatment response in youth with autism spectrum disorder
Kang E, Clarkson T, Keifer CM, Rosen TE, Lerner MD. Discrete electrocortical predictors of anxiety and anxiety-related treatment response in youth with autism spectrum disorder. Biological Psychology 2019, 146: 107710. PMID: 31158425, DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2019.05.010.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSocial skills interventionsAutism spectrum disorderError-related negativitySelf-reported social anxiety symptomsSocial anxiety symptomsAnxiety symptomsSpectrum disorderNegative error-related negativityRelative right frontal activitySelf-reported anxiety symptomsRight frontal activityUnique neural mechanismsWithdrawal motivationThreat sensitivitySkills interventionNeural mechanismsFrontal activitySubjective reportsAnxiety domainsAnxiety phenotypeYouthAnxietyTreatment responseElectroencephalogramDisorders- Keifer, C. M., Dichter, G. S., McPartland, J. C., & Lerner, M. D. (2019). Social Motivation in Autism: Gaps and Directions for Measurement of a Putative Core Construct. [Commentary on Jaswal & Akhtar]. Behavioral and Brain SciencesCommentaries, Editorials and Letters
2018
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Lerner M, Rosen T, Kang E, Keifer C, Gerber A. Autism Spectrum Disorder. 2018, 223-234. DOI: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190634841.013.15.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAbstract Autism spectrum disorderAutism spectrum disorderComplex clinical presentationSymptom reductionRepetitive behaviorsProportion of youthSpectrum disorderPsychosocial interventionsNeurodevelopmental conditionsSocial communicationCase examplePercentage of youthIntervention practicesReview keyYouthClinical practiceInterventionDeficitsAdolescentsDisordersSymptomsExternalitiesAssessment