Robert Nida, PhD
graduate programs
undergraduate programs

Robert Nida, PhD
Associate Professor, Education
Research member, Institute for Autism Research
Peter Canisius Distinguished Professorship, Canisius College, June 2007 – 2010

Highest Degree Awarded:
PhD in Human Development
University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Years at Canisius: Since 2003

Courses Taught
Personal Interests
Research Interests
Recent Research
Recent Grants

Courses Taught:
  • EDU 100 Human Growth and Development: Childhood
  • EDE 390 Cognition, Learning, Assessment: Childhood
Personal interests:
  • Boating, sailing, golf, fly-fishing and snow shoeing
  • Favorite sports teams: Buffalo Bills, Buffalo Sabres, Chicago Blackhawks, Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox
  • Favorite Places: Aylen Lake, Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Chicago, Seattle, Ireland and Church
Research Interests:
  • Bio-psycho-social factors related to Autism Spectrum Disorders
  • Children’s eyewitness memory
  • Children's testimony
  • Development of learning, memory, and conceptual behavior in children
Recent Research:

Brown, B., Morris, G., Nida, R.E., & Baker-Ward, L. (in press). Making experience personal: Internal states language in memory narratives of children with and without Asperger's Disorder. Journal of Austism and Developmental Disorders.

Lopata, C., Thomeer, M.L., Volker, M.A., Nida, R.E. (in press) Randomized clinical trial of a manualized social treatment for high-functioning autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.

Davis, T.E., Nida, R.E., Zlomke, K.R., & Nebel-Schwalm, M.S. (2009) Health-related quality of life in college undergraduates with learning disabilities: The meditational roles of anxiety and sadness. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment. 31, 228-234.

Lopata, C., Volker, M.L., Putnam, S., Thomeer, M., & Nida, R.E. (2008). Effect of social familiarity on salivary cortisol and self-reports of social anxiety and stress in children with high functioning autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 28, 1866 – 1877.

Lopata, C., Thomeer, M.L., Volker, M.A., Nida, R.E., & Lee, G.K. (2008). Effectiveness of a manualized summer social treatment program for high-functioning children with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 38, 890-904.

Lopata, C., Thomeer, M.L., Volker, M.A., & Nida, R.E. (2006). Effectiveness of a Cognitive-behavioral treatment on the social behaviors of children with Asperger’s Disorder.Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 21(4), 237-244.

Recent Grants:
U.S. Department of Education, “Enhancing Social and Behavioral Competencies of Children with Asperger’s/High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders (HFASD).Subcontract with Volker and Lopata (Three year funded Project for $1,200,000.00). Co-investigator, 2008.

Canisius College Peter Canisius Distinguished Teaching Professorship, “The Canisius College Center for the Study of Autism Spectrum Disorders. (Three year funded project for $105,000.00, June 2007 to June 2010)