integrated Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders (iCASD)
Munroe-Meyer Institute
985450 Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha, NE 68198-5450
Phone: 402-559-0049
Email
Professional Summary
Patricia K. Zemantic, PhD, BCBA-D, is an Assistant Professor in the Integrated Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders (iCASD) and Interim Director of the Autism Diagnostic Clinic. Dr. Zemantic received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a specialization mental health from Southern Connecticut State University in 2008. From 2009 to 2012, she worked as a behavior therapist in Connecticut Public Schools through the Institute of Professional Practice. There she provided behavioral services to children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). She completed an APPIC approved pre-doctoral internship and a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders, during which time she worked in the Early Intervention Program and the Autism Diagnostic Clinic. She completed her graduate training at the University of Oregon, where she earned a master’s degree in special education and a doctorate in school psychology.
Dr. Zemantic currently works across several programs within the iCASD – including the Early Intervention Program, Autism Diagnostic Clinic and the Behavior and Learning Interventions for Neurodiverse Kids (BLINK) Program. She also helped design the CARE program. CARE is an interdisciplinary psychoeducation program for caregivers of children with ASD that describes ASD and relevant interventions. CARE is now available online in Spanish and English. Her clinical work includes the assessment and treatment of autism spectrum disorder, early intensive behavioral interventions, and caregiver training.
Her newest projects include BLINK and an online adaptation of the CARE program in Spanish and English. Dr. Zemantic partnered with Dr. Whitney Strong-Bak, along with several faculty members in the Psychology Program, to design and implement the BLINK program, which is a brief caregiver training program delivered via telehealth to help caregivers learn strategies to address problem behavior at home and promote a variety of skills.
Specialty Certifications
Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Education
- PhD, University of Oregon – Eugene, OR, 2019
- MS, University of Oregon – Eugene, OR, 2016
- BA, Southern Connecticut State University – New Haven, CT, 2008
Courses Taught
- Educational Assessment*
- Intellectual Assessment*
- Foundations of Clinical Supervision*
- Practicum Field Experience **
- Early Literacy for Diverse Learners **
- Intermediate Literacy for Diverse Learners **
Supervised College Teaching Assistant*
Graduate Teaching Fellow**
Research Interests and Projects
- Verbal behavior
- Assessment of autism spectrum disorder
- Interventions to promote caregiver well-being and family empowerment
- Caregiver-implemented interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities
Selected Publications (within the last 5 years)
-
Simmons, C. A., Zangrillo, A. N., Fisher, W. W., & Zemantic, P. K. (In press). Efficiency and Preference for Alternative Activities during Schedule Thinning with Functional Communication Training. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis.
-
Simmons, C. A., Zangrillo, A. N., Fisher, W. W., & Zemantic, P. K. (2021). An evaluation of a caregiver-implemented stimulus avoidance assessment and corresponding treatment package. Behavioral Development. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/bdb0000107
-
Zemantic, P. K., Kurtz-Nelson, E., Barton, H., Safer-Lichtenstein, J., & McIntyre, L. L. (2021). Advocacy and empowerment: Service utilization for children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Development Disabilities. Advance online publication doi: 10.1007/s10803-021-05329-6
-
McClain, Maryellen B., Roanhorse, T., Harris, Bryn, Heyborne, M., Zemantic, P. K., & Azad, G. (2021). School-based Autism Evaluations in the COVID-19 Era. School Psychology, 36(5), 377-387. doi: https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/spq0000447
-
Raulston, T., Zemantic, P., Machalicek, W., Hieneman, M., Kurtz-Nelson, E., & Barton, H., Hansen, S. & Frantz, R. (2019). Effects of a brief mindfulness-infused behavioral parent training program for mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 13, 42 – 51.
-
Haq, S., Zemantic, P., Kodak, T., LeBlanc, B., & Ruppert, T. (2017). Examination of variables that affect the efficacy of instructive feedback. Behavioral Interventions, 1-1. doi: 10.1002/bin.1470
-
McIntyre, L. L., & Zemantic, P. K. (2017). Predictors of early childhood special education services for children with autism spectrum disorder. Early Childhood Education Journal, 45(6), 727-734. doi: 10.1007/s10643-016-0821-y
-
Kodak, T., Campbell, V., Moberg, S., LeBlanc, B., Kurtz-Nelson, E., Cariveau, T., Haq S., Zemantic, P., & Mahon, J. (2016). Examination of efficacious, efficient, and socially valid error-correction procedures for children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 49(3), 532-547. doi: 10.1002/jaba.310.
Professional Affiliations
- Association for Applied Behavior Analysis International
Awards
- University of Oregon, School Psychology, Outstanding Student Award (2018)
- University of Oregon, College of Education Doctoral Research Award (2018)
- Trainers of School Psychologists Along with Pearson Clinical (2018)
- University of Oregon, College of Education, Florence Wolfard Fund Award (2015)
- University of Oregon School Psychology Travel Grant (2013-2018)