Cathleen C. Piazza, PhD, BCBA-D

Cathleen C. Piazza, PhDCathleen C. Piazza, PhD, BCBA-D, is a professor in Rutgers University's Department of Applied Psychology, Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, and director of the Intensive Pediatric Feeding Disorders Program at Children's Specialized Hospital. Before that, she was a professor of pediatrics and director of the Pediatric Feeding Disorders Program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. She previously directed similar programs at the Marcus Institute in Atlanta and at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. Dr. Piazza and her colleagues have examined various aspects of feeding behavior and have developed a series of interventions to address one of the most common health problems in children. Her research in this area has been among the most systematic in the field and has firmly established behavioral approaches as preferred methods for assessment and treatment. In her roles as clinical, research, and training director, Dr. Piazza has mentored a large number of interns and fellows who have gone on to make significant contributions to the field. Highly regarded for her general expertise in research methodology, Dr. Piazza is a former editor of the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis.

Research Publications

Select Peer-Reviewed Publications

  • Ibañez, V. F., Kirkwood, C. A., Zeleny, J. R., Peterson, K. M., & Piazza, C. C. (in press). Using a SpecialNeeds feeder to increase liquid acceptance for infants with pediatric feeding disorders. Behavioral Development Bulletin
  • Peterson, K. M., Ibañez, V. F., Volkert, V. M., Zeleny, J. R., Engler, C. W., & Piazza, C. C. (in press). Use of telehealth services to treat pediatric feeding disorders. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis
  • Haney, S. J., Piazza, C. C., Peterson, K. M., & Greer, B. D. (in press). An Evaluation of a Renewal-Mitigation Procedure for Inappropriate Mealtime Behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis
  • Kirkwood, C. K., Piazza, C. C., & Peterson, K. M. (in press). A comparison of function- and nonfunction-based extinction for inappropriate mealtime behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis
  • Crowley, J. G., Peterson, K. M., Piazza, C. C., & Fisher, W. W. (2020). Treating food selectivity as resistance in children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 1-22. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.711
  • Peterson, K. M., Piazza, C. C., Ibañez, V. F., & Fisher, W. W. (2019). Randomized controlled trial of applied behavior analysis versus wait-list control for food selectivity in participants with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 52(4), 895-917. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.650
  • Ibañez, V. F., Piazza, C. C., & Peterson, K. M. (2019). A translational evaluation of renewal of inappropriate mealtime behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 52(4), 1005-1020. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.647
  • Milnes, S. M., Ibañez, V. F., & Piazza, C. C. (2019). A comparison of Nuk presentation and Nuk redistribution to treat packing. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 52(2), 476-490. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.532
  • Zeleny, J. R., Piazza, C. C., Volkert, V. M., Ibañez, V. F., Crowley, J. G., & Kirkwood, C. A (2019). Food preferences before and during intervention for a pediatric feeding disorder. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,53(2), 875-888.https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.625
  • Shalev, R. A., Milnes, S. M., Piazza, C. C. and Kozisek, J. M. (2018), Treating liquid expulsion in children with feeding disorders. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 51: 70-79. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.425
  • Volkert, V. M., Piazza, C. C. & Ray-Price, R. Further Manipulations in Response Effort or Magnitude of an Aversive Consequence to Increase Self-Feeding in Children with Feeding Disorders. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 9,103–113 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-016-0124-1
  • Peterson, K. M., Piazza, C. C., & Volkert, V. M. (2016). Comparison of a modified-Sequential Oral Sensory approach to an applied behavior-analytic approach in the treatment of food selectivity in children with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 49, 485-511.
  • Peterson, K. M., Piazza, C. C., Luczynski, K. C., & Fisher, W. W. (2016). Virtual-care delivery of applied-behavior-analysis services to children with autism spectrum disorder and related conditions. Behavior Analysis: Research and Practice, 17, 286-297.
  • Volkert, V. M., Peterson, K. M.,Zeleny, J. R., & Piazza, C. C. (2014). A clinical protocol to increase chewing and assess mastication in children with feeding disorders. Behavior Modification, 38, 1-25.

Select Publications Continued: Book Chapters and Invited Works in Special Issues

  • Ibañez, V. F., Peterson, K. M., Crowley, J. G., Haney, S. D., Andersen, A. S., & Piazza, C. C. (2020). Pediatric Prevention: Feeding Disorders. Pediatric Clinics of North America,67(3), 451-467. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pcl.2020.02.003
  • Piazza, C. C., Ibañez, V. F., Kirkwood, C. A., Crowley, J. G., & Haney, S. D. (2020). Chapter 7 - Pediatric feeding disorders. In P. Sturmey (Ed.), Functional Analysis in Clinical Treatment (Second Edition) (pp. 151-175). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-805469-7.00007-3
  • Peterson, K. M., Ibañez, V. F., Kirkwood, C. A., Crowley, J. G., & Piazza, C. C. (2018). Assessment of Pediatric Feeding Disorders. In J. L. Matson (Ed.), Handbook of Childhood Psychopathology and Developmental Disabilities Assessment (pp. 415-431). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93542-3_22
  • Piazza, C. C., Ibañez, V. F., Ney, H. M., Kirkwood, C. A., & Crowley, J. G., (2017). Assessment and Treatment of Pediatric Feeding Disorders. Archives of Practitioner Resources for Applied Behavior Analysts. Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI. Retrieved from https://wmich.edu/autism/resources.
  • Piazza, C. C., Milnes, S. M., & Shalev, R. A. (2015). Chapter 4 - A Behavior-Analytic Approach to the Assessment and Treatment of Pediatric Feeding Disorders. In H. S. Roane, J. L. Ringdahl, & T. S. Falcomata (Eds.), Clinical and Organizational Applications of Applied Behavior Analysis (pp. 69-94). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-420249-8.00004-6

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