Research Goals

The diversified research in development from the Behavior and Child Development Lab allows members of the community for an opportunity to received screening and diagnostic services for Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Benefits of participating in our study include:
- Autism screening & diagnostic services (ADOS-2, M-CHAT-R/F, etc)
- All services available in English and Spanish
- Screening for comorbid disorders
- Learn about your child’s developmental health
- Help us understand more about Autism and Autism assessment instruments
If you are interested in learning more about participating in a study by the , contact us at bechildlab@utrgv.edu.
BeChilD Lab Research Goals

Collaboration with UT Austin: Identifying needs of Texas Children
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Autism in Latino Children
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Instrument Validations
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Early identification and intervention
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Global Perspective on Autism: Focus on Latin America
Read MoreSelected Publications:
Dr. Montiel-Nava’s research history has been on neurodevelopmental disorders - predominantly on ASD.
- Elsabbagh, M., Divan, G., Koh, Y. J., Kim, Y. S., Kauchali, S., Marcín, C., Montiel-Nava, C., Patel, V., Paula, C., Wang, C., Taghi Ysamy, M., & Frombonne, E. (2012). Global prevalence of autism and other pervasive developmental disorders. Autism research, 5(3), 160-179.
- Montiel-Nava, C., Chacín, J. A., & González-Ávila, Z. (2017). Age of diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder in Latino children: The case of Venezuelan children. Autism, 21(5), 573-580.
- Montiel-Nava, C., & Peña, J. A. (2008). Epidemiological findings of pervasive developmental disorders in a Venezuelan study. Autism, 12(2), 191-202.
- Polanczyk, G., Rohde, L. A., Szobot, C., Schmitz, M., Montiel-Nava, C., & Bauermeister, J. J. (2008). ADHD treatment in Latin America and the Caribbean. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 47(6), 721-722.
- Dr. Montiel-Nava's Comprehensive list of publications.
Articles under Revision
- Autism in Latin America. Implementation of the Latin-American Autism Spectrum Network Caregiver Needs Survey. Montiel-Naval, C., Garrido, G., Valdez, D., Cukier, S., Silvestre Paula, C., García, R., Rosoli, A., Shih, A., Irarrázaval, M., Rattazzi, A. Focus on Autism
- Service Use across the Lifespan in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Results from a Multisite Study. Montiel-Nava, C., Cukier, S., Garrido, G., Valdez, D., Paula, C., García, R., Rosola, A., Irarrázaval, M., & Rattazzi, A. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities
- “Challenges, priorities, barriers to care and stigma in families of people with Autism: Similarities and differences among six Latin American countries”. Paula, C., Garrido, G., Valdez, D., Cukier, S., Montiel-Nava, C., Garcia, R., Rosoli, A., Shih, A., Irarrázaval, A., & Rattazzi, A. Autism
Book Chapters
- Montiel-Nava, C. Valdez, D., Rosoli, A., Garrido, G., Cukier, S., Silvestre Paula, C., García, R., Irarrázaval, M., Rattazzi, A., Valdez, D. (ed.). 2019. Autismo en Latinoamérica. Conocer y comprender lo que sucede para mejorar las prácticas. In Valdez, (ed.)., Autismo. Claves para la intervención psicoeducativa. Lima, Perú: Ediciones Libro Amigo.
- Manrique, S., del Castillo, M., Valdez, D., Garrido, G., Ratazzi, A., Paula, C., Garcia, R., Rosoli, A., Cukier, S., & Montiel-Nava. 2019. Necesidades y calidad de vida de familias de personas con Trastorno del Espectro Autista (TEA) en Perú: Implementación de la encuesta de la Red del Espectro Autista Latinoamérica (REAL). In Valdez, D. (ed.) Autismo. Claves para la intervención psicoeducativa. Lima, Perú: Ediciones Libro Amigo.
Psychoeducation Presentations
- A. Torres, Montenegro, M.S., Lecusay, D., Pesina, L., Montiel-Nava, C. (2019). Poster Presented at the 2019 RGV Mental Health Coalition Conference.
- A. Torres & Montiel-Nava, C. 2019. Column published at Pulse Magazine (Un)filtered Spring 2019.


A. Torres, Montenegro, M.S., Lecusay, D., Pesina, L., Montiel-Nava, C. (2019). Autism Screening Instruments in a Spanish-Speaking Population. Poster Presented at the 2019 RGV Mental Health Coalition Conference.

