A. J. Schwichtenberg

Courtesy Appointments

Department of Psychological Sciences; Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences

Areas of Expertise

• Sleep, Early Development, Neurodiversity, Autism

HHS Signature Research Area(s)

• Developmental Health and Wellness
• Healthy Lifestyles and Vital Longevity

Department of Human Development and Family Science Research Area(s)

• Culture and Diversity
• Early Childhood Education and Care
• Health and Well-Being
• Interpersonal Relations

Biography

Dr. A.J. Schwichtenberg is an Associate Professor at Purdue University in the College of Health and Human Sciences.  With appointments in the departments of Human Development and Family Science, Psychological Sciences, and Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, her programmatic line of work assesses how sleep and biosocial processes are developmentally consequential for children and families.  She directs the Sleep and Developmental Studies Laboratory and was an inaugural Co-director of the Purdue Autism Research Center.  Building on her diverse postdoctoral training at the Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute at the University of California Davis, Dr. Schwichtenberg applies bioecological theory and developmental psychopathology approaches to the study of sleep in children experiencing typical and atypical development.  Her research includes behavioral, genetic, neurologic, and contextual elements of sleep with a recent focus on how sleep dysregulation may share a mechanistic pathway with neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders.

Accepting graduate student applications for the December 1, 2024 deadline.

Education

• ARTP, 2012, University of California, Davis, MIND Institute
• PhD, 2008, University of Wisconsin, Madison
• MS, 2004, University of Wisconsin, Madison
• BA, 1997, Hamline University

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

• Safe Zone; ADVANCE-Purdue; Green Zone

Current Courses

• HDFS 314 - Atypical Child Development

Selected Publications

• Bradshaw, J., Schwichtenberg, A. J., & Iverson, J. (in press). Capturing the Complexity of Autism – Applying a developmental cascades framework. Child Development Perspectives
• Chong, P., Garic, D., Shen, M. D., Lundgaard, I., & Schwichtenberg, A. J. (in press). Sleep, Cerebrospinal Fluid, and the Glymphatic System: A Systematic Review. Sleep Medicine Reviews
• Honaker, S., McQuillan, M., Mindell, J., Downs, S., Slaven, J., & Schwichtenberg, A. J. (2021). Screening for problematic sleep in diverse infants. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 46, 824-834. doi.org/10.1093/jpepsy/jsab050
• Schwichtenberg, A. J., Abel, E., Keys, E., & Honaker, S. (2019). Diversity in pediatric behavioral sleep intervention studies. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 47, 103-111. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2019.07.004
• Schwichtenberg, A. J., Choe, J., Kellerman, A., Abel, E. A., & Delp, E. (2018). Pediatric videosomnography: Is automated sleep scoring possible? Frontiers in Pediatrics, 6, 158. doi:10.3389/fped.2018.00158

Selected Honors/Awards

• Focus Award, Office of Institutional Equity, Purdue University - April 29, 2022
• Undergraduate Research Enhancement Award, Center for Families, Purdue University - January 31, 2022
• NIH Pathways to Independence Award, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development - January 1, 2011
• Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award, National Institute of Mental Health - July 1, 2005

Selected Grants

• Co-Principe Investigator, Sleep, feeding, and obesity risk during infancy in African American and Latinx families. Indiana CTSI, Collaboration in Translational Research. Schwichtenberg, Moding, Honaker (Co-PIs). Period: 05/01/2022 – 04/30/2024.
• Consultant, Recruitment and Deep Phenotyping of Infants with Angelman Syndrome to Enable Early Treatment. Angelman Syndrome Foundation. Capal (PI). Period: 01/01/2022-01/01/2024.
• Co-Investigator, Multi-site, longitudinal trial evaluating the efficacy, mechanisms, and moderators of service dogs for military Veterans with PTSD (R01 HD106413). O'Haire (PI). Period: 09/07/2021 – 09/06/2026.
• Co-Investigator, Familial genetic liability, risk for recurrence, and behavioral development in autism. Autism Science Foundation. Girault (PI). Period: 07/15/2021-07/14/2022.
• Co-Principe Investigator, Sleep, the glymphatic system, and social communication development (R03 HD104084). Schwichtenberg, Shen (Co-PIs). Period: 12/01/2020-11/31/2022.

Professional Affiliations

• Purdue Autism Research Center, Past Co-Director
• Baby Siblings Research Consortium, Chair Communication Committee
• Pediatric Sleep Council, Advisory Committee
• Child Development, Consulting Editor
• Sleep Medicine, Editorial Board