Dr. Fred J. Biasini, is an Associate Professor of Psychology and Associate Director of Sparks Clinics and Director of Interdisciplinary Training at the Civitan International Research Center. He also serves as Director of the UAB Early Head Start Program.. He has worked in the field of developmental disabilities since 1975. Dr. Biasini received his B.A. degree from St. Vincent College (1973), his M.A. from St. Francis College (1976), and his Ph.D. in Applied Psychology, with an emphasis on developmental disabilities, from the University of Alabama (1984). During 6 years of his graduate studies, Dr. Biasini worked in residential facilities for children and adults with developmental disabilities. He completed an internship in developmental disabilities at the University of Alabama at Birmingham during the 1981-1982 academic year. He directed an early intervention program (1984-1990), organized and coordinated a local council of service providers for infants, toddlers and preschool children with disabilities (1985-1995), and directed the statewide training program for professionals, paraprofessionals, and parents working in the area of early intervention (1989-1995). In 1992, Dr. Biasini was awarded a 5-year Comprehensive Child Development Program (CCDP) grant to develop a child development/family system oriented program focusing on families where infants and young children have been exposed to parental substance abuse. In 1998 the CCDP became an Early Head Start Program which he currently directs. Dr. Biasini also participates in the training of child and pediatric psychologists and is a member of the psychology faculty at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He teaches courses in developmental psychology and developmental disabilities and has published articles related to cognitive and communication development in young children with disabilities. Dr. Biasini is also involved in research investigating the role of child development and parenting classes on the attitudes of young mothers related to parenting.

REPRESENTATIVE PUBLICATIONS:

Biasini, F., Grupe, L., Huffman, L., & Bray, N. W., (1999). Mental retardation: A Symptom and a syndrome. In S. Netherton, D. Holmes, & C. E. Walker (Eds), Comprehensive Textbook of Child and Adolescent Disorders. New York: Oxford University Press.

Ambalavanan N. Nelson KG. Alexander G. Johnson SE. Biasini F. Carlo WA., (2001) Prediction of neurologic morbidity in extremely low birth weight infants. Journal of Perinatology, 20(8):496-503.

Guest, K. C. & Biasini, F. J. (2002). Middle childhood, poverty, and adjustment: Does social support have an impact? Psychology in the Schools, 38(6).

Conerly,. R. & Biasini, F. J. Spontaneous and prompted play behaviors of toddlers born drug exposed. (in preparation)

Guest, K. C. & Biasini, F. J. Social competency: Stability and change in a longitudinal sample of high-risk preschool children. (in preparation)

TEACHING INTERESTS:

Undergraduate

PY 312 Advanced Developmental Psychology
PY 412 Social Development
PY 415 Developmental Disabilities

Graduate

PY 708 Developmental Psychology
PY 712 Social Development
PY 783 Developmental Disabilities