Suzanne Macari

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About

Suzanne Macari investigates the early social-cognitive mechanisms underlying autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with a particular focus on how young children attend to and engage with social partners. Her work bridges developmental psychology and clinical intervention, exploring novel ways to enhance social attention in children with ASD. In her highly cited 2021 study, "Puppets facilitate attention to social cues in children with ASD," Macari demonstrated that puppets can significantly increase visual attention to speakers' faces in young children with ASD—a population that typically shows diminished gaze toward social partners. This finding, which has garnered 15 citations, offers a promising, low-cost tool for improving social engagement in early intervention settings. Macari’s research has important implications for understanding the roots of social attention differences in ASD and for designing more effective, child-friendly therapeutic approaches. Her work is widely recognized for its creativity and translational potential, making her a leading voice in early autism research and intervention.