College of Education

Michael Siller, PhD, is a developmental psychologist studying how children with autism develop and learn. He is particularly interested in learning that occurs in familiar daily routines and natural environments. His research includes descriptive longitudinal studies to understand developmental mechanisms, intervention trials to determine efficacy, and implementation science to make evidence-based practices accessible to providers in the community. Dr. Siller published the first pair of longitudinal studies to show that responsive parental behaviors reliably predict the long-term (16-year) language gains in autistic children. He also completed two clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of Focused Playtime Intervention, a parent-coaching intervention aligned with the Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Intervention (NDBI) framework. Further, Dr. Siller co-founded an inclusive, university-affiliated laboratory preschool focused on autism and developed professional development programs for community-based preschool teachers. As the Executive Director of the UNT Kristin Farmer Autism Center, Dr. Siller strives to integrate clinical and educational services, and aims to support the implementation of evidence-based practices in community settings. He envisions a world in which children with or at increased likelihood for autism can access interventions promptly and transition seamlessly between intense clinician-delivered interventions, inclusive educational settings, and supportive learning environments at home and in the community. Dr. Siller’s research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health and numerous private foundations (e.g., Autism Speaks, The Far Fund, The Marcus Foundation). Dr. Siller co-edited the Springer Handbook of Parent Implemented Interventions for Very Young Children with Autism, and his articles have been published in leading journals.