Kayden Stockwell (2024)

Kayden Stockwell is a doctoral candidate in the developmental psychology program at the University of Virginia. He uses both qualitative and quantitative research methods to better understand the experiences of autistic college students and non-speaking autistic adults.

For his dissertation, Kayden will examine how trusted social partners influence the regulation of physiological arousal in non-speaking autistic adults. By collecting dyadic physiological data from these adults and their parents, he aims to provide empirical insights into social relationships, resources, and regulation–topics critical to health that have been under- researched in this population. This research seeks to enhance our understanding of how social relationships impact regulation in non-speaking autistic adults, which may inform the development of tailored support services that leverage relationships to improve their health and quality of life.

The 2024 NISS Dissertation Grant will support Kayden's travel to several locations for data collection, thereby increasing the study’s sample size and enhancing participant comfort by avoiding the need to travel to an unfamiliar lab setting. Kayden holds a B.A. in psychology and a B.S. in human development from Binghamton University and an M.A. in psychology from the University of Virginia.