Julie Wolf, PhD
Cards
About
Titles
Associate Professor of Child Psychology
Associate Director, Developmental Disabilities Clinic, Child Study CenterBiography
Dr. Julie Wolf is a licensed clinical psychologist at the Yale Child Study Center in New Haven, CT. She received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Connecticut in 2005, where she studied facial recognition in autism under the mentorship of Dr. Deborah Fein. She completed her clinical internship, including a rotation in autism spectrum disorders, at the University of Chicago, and her post-doctoral fellowship at the Yale Child Study Center under the mentorship of Dr. Robert Schultz. Presently, she serves as the Associate Director of the Developmental Disabilities Clinic at the Yale Child Study Center, conducting clinical evaluations, social skills groups, and sibling support groups. She also provides clinical characterization for a number of federally-funded studies of autism.
Appointments
Child Study Center
Associate Professor on TermPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
- Child Study Center
- Developmental Disabilities Program
- McPartland Lab
- Predoctoral Internship and Postdoctoral Fellowship in Psychology
- Ventola Lab
- Yale Medicine
Education & Training
- Post-Doctoral Fellow
- Yale Child Study Center (2007)
- Intern
- University of Chicago (2005)
- PhD
- University of Connecticut (2005)
- MA
- University of Connecticut (2002)
- BA
- Haverford College (1997)
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
Development of peak alpha frequency reflects a distinct trajectory of neural maturation in autistic children
Finn C, Han G, Naples A, Wolf J, McPartland J. Development of peak alpha frequency reflects a distinct trajectory of neural maturation in autistic children. Autism Research 2023, 16: 2077-2089. PMID: 37638733, DOI: 10.1002/aur.3017.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPeak alpha frequencyAutism spectrum disorderCognitive abilitiesAutistic childrenNonverbal IQNeural maturationSpectrum disorderTypical age-related increaseAlpha frequencyDifferent developmental trajectoriesDistinct trajectoriesSample of childrenCurrent study clarifiesDiagnostic groupsNeurotypical childrenNeurotypical controlsBehavioral measuresDevelopmental trajectoriesDiagnostic statusAge-related increaseFunction of ageIQEffect of ageBivariate relationsPrevious findings
2022
Neural correlates of eye contact and social function in autism spectrum disorder
Hirsch J, Zhang X, Noah J, Dravida S, Naples A, Tiede M, Wolf J, McPartland J. Neural correlates of eye contact and social function in autism spectrum disorder. PLOS ONE 2022, 17: e0265798. PMID: 36350848, PMCID: PMC9645655, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265798.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAutism spectrum disorderDorsal parietal regionsNeural correlatesEye contactLive eyesNeural responsesSpectrum disorderAutism Diagnostic Observation ScheduleUnderlying neural correlatesSocial Responsiveness ScaleGold standard measureCentral diagnostic criterionDiagnostic criteriaDiagnostic biomarkersSRS-2ADOS-2Responsiveness ScaleObservation ScheduleParietal regionsPupillometry dataNeural systemsEyesNatural interactionDisordersCorrelatesPredictability modulates neural response to eye contact in ASD
Naples AJ, Foss-Feig JH, Wolf JM, Srihari VH, McPartland JC. Predictability modulates neural response to eye contact in ASD. Molecular Autism 2022, 13: 42. PMID: 36309762, PMCID: PMC9618208, DOI: 10.1186/s13229-022-00519-0.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAutism spectrum disorderEvent-related potentialsNeural responsesAdult participantsAmplitude of N170Perception of gazeP300 event-related potentialExperiment twoN170 responseAnxiety symptomologyCognitive abilitiesNeural basisExperiment oneNeural processingASD sampleSpectrum disorderInterpersonal interactionsN170P300 responseAutistic womenEye contactEye trackingSocial interactionSocial contextSocial world
2021
Face Perception Predicts Affective Theory of Mind in Autism Spectrum Disorder but Not Schizophrenia or Typical Development
Altschuler MR, Trevisan DA, Wolf JM, Naples AJ, Foss-Feig JH, Srihari VH, McPartland JC. Face Perception Predicts Affective Theory of Mind in Autism Spectrum Disorder but Not Schizophrenia or Typical Development. Journal Of Psychopathology And Clinical Science 2021, 130: 413-422. PMID: 34180705, PMCID: PMC8244155, DOI: 10.1037/abn0000621.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAutism spectrum disorderBenton Facial Recognition TestSchizophrenia spectrum disordersAffective ToM abilitiesTypical developmentSpectrum disorderAffective ToMToM difficultiesSocial cognitionToM abilitiesIndividual differencesBetter face recognition abilityFace recognition abilityFace recognition difficultiesTheory of mindFacial Recognition TestFull Scale IQFace perceptionAffective theoryRecognition difficultiesRecognition testEyes TestSocial dysfunctionRecognition abilityFace recognitionUnderstanding of ASD by Siblings is Associated with Warmth and Hostility in the Sibling Relationship
Coffman M, Kelso N, Antezana L, Braconnier M, Richey J, Wolf J. Understanding of ASD by Siblings is Associated with Warmth and Hostility in the Sibling Relationship. Journal Of Child And Family Studies 2021, 30: 1577-1585. DOI: 10.1007/s10826-021-01945-z.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAutism spectrum disorderUnderstanding of ASDUnderstanding of autismSiblings of childrenRelationship qualitySisters of childrenEntire family systemSelf-report questionnairesWarm behaviorSiblings' perceptionsSpectrum disorderMore hostilitySibling relationshipsFamily systemAutismOlder siblingsPerceptionFurther implicationsChildrenHostilitySiblingsMore siblingsImplicationsRelationshipWarmth
2020
Higher Depressive Symptoms Predict Lower Social Adaptive Functioning in Children and Adolescents with ASD
Duan S, Lee M, Wolf J, Naples AJ, McPartland JC. Higher Depressive Symptoms Predict Lower Social Adaptive Functioning in Children and Adolescents with ASD. Journal Of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology 2020, 51: 203-210. PMID: 32347746, DOI: 10.1080/15374416.2020.1750020.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAutism spectrum disorderAdaptive functioningDepressive symptomsHigher depressive symptomsDaily living skillsSocial adaptiveTypical developmentSocial skillsSpectrum disorderLiving skillsSocial domainsLower functioningAdaptive functionAdolescentsFunctioningDepressive symptomatologyChildrenDifferent domainsSkillsIQSymptomsPresent studyYears of age
2017
Sibling Relationships: Parent–Child Agreement and Contributions of Siblings With and Without ASD
Braconnier ML, Coffman MC, Kelso N, Wolf JM. Sibling Relationships: Parent–Child Agreement and Contributions of Siblings With and Without ASD. Journal Of Autism And Developmental Disorders 2017, 48: 1612-1622. PMID: 29188588, DOI: 10.1007/s10803-017-3393-9.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsParent-child agreementExperiences of siblingsSignificance of parentsRecipients of aggressionNegative behaviorsPositive behaviorsASDCaretaking rolePrior researchMixed resultsParentsSiblingsAggressionRelationshipDyadsPresent studyFindingsResearchBehaviorImportant targetIndividualsInterventionExperience
2015
Re-conceptualizing ASD Within a Dimensional Framework: Positive, Negative, and Cognitive Feature Clusters
Foss-Feig JH, McPartland JC, Anticevic A, Wolf J. Re-conceptualizing ASD Within a Dimensional Framework: Positive, Negative, and Cognitive Feature Clusters. Journal Of Autism And Developmental Disorders 2015, 46: 342-351. PMID: 26267330, PMCID: PMC5328688, DOI: 10.1007/s10803-015-2539-x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsResearch Domain CriteriaASD featuresMental Health Research Domain CriteriaAutism spectrum disorderCognitive dimensionsSpectrum disorderDimensional conceptualizationSchizophrenia literatureDomain CriteriaASDNovel conceptualizationConceptualizationManual callsFeature clustersDiagnostic classificationImproved abilityDimensional frameworkDisordersAbility
2014
Heterogeneity of neural mechanisms of response to pivotal response treatment
Ventola P, Yang DY, Friedman HE, Oosting D, Wolf J, Sukhodolsky DG, Pelphrey KA. Heterogeneity of neural mechanisms of response to pivotal response treatment. Brain Imaging And Behavior 2014, 9: 74-88. PMID: 25370452, PMCID: PMC4993028, DOI: 10.1007/s11682-014-9331-y.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPivotal Response TreatmentPosterior superior temporal sulcusFunctional magnetic resonance imagingAutism spectrum disorderNeural responsesResponse treatmentRight posterior superior temporal sulcusBiological motion perception taskDifferential neural responsesMotion perception taskSuperior temporal sulcusPerception taskTD childrenTemporal sulcusSocial perceptionBrain responsesNeural mechanismsSpectrum disorderSocial communicationNeural vulnerabilityNeural characteristicsNeural systemsVentral striatumReward systemSubcortical regions
Clinical Trials
Current Trials
The Autism Biomarkers Consortium for Clinical Trials: Confirmation Study (ABC-CT CS)
HIC ID2000031989RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date03/31/2025Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge6 years - 11 yearsA 12-Week Placebo-Controlled Study to Investigate the Efficacy, Safety, and Tolerability of RO7017773 in Participants Aged 15-45 Years With Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
HIC ID2000028228RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date12/15/2023Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge15 years - 45 yearsACE Multisite Study of Adolescent & Adult Transitions
HIC ID2000024998RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date04/30/2024Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge12 years - 35 yearsCBT for Anxiety in Children With Autism
HIC ID1211011144RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date06/30/2020Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge8 years - 14 years
Clinical Care
Overview
Julie Wolf, PhD, specializes in pediatric developmental and behavioral medicine, focusing on autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Asperger syndrome, social communication disorder, and developmental regression. She is the associate director of the Developmental Disabilities Clinic at the Yale Child Study Center.
Wolf's research explores social and adaptive functioning, sibling relationships, and neural mechanisms in ASD, and the overlap between ASD and depression. Her work examines how individuals with ASD process social cues, including eye contact and facial expressions, and the role of sibling relationships in adapting to the disorder.
Wolf is an associate professor of child psychology at the Yale Child Study Center.
Clinical Specialties
Psychology; Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Links & Media
News
- July 17, 2024
Wolf Selected as Inaugural YCSC Vice Chair for Professional Development & Education
- August 21, 2020
Back to School Town Hall Focuses on Children's Social-Emotional Health
- May 04, 2017Source: Medicine@Yale
Striving for objective autism measures
- April 30, 2017
Striving for objective autism measures