Lawrence Scahill, MSN, PhD

Professor, Emory University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics

Lawrence Scahill, MSN, PhD, completed a master’s degree in child psychiatric nursing at Yale University in 1989 and his doctorate in epidemiology at Yale in 1997. He is an internationally recognized expert on the design and conduct of clinical trials in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

During the past two decades, Dr. Scahill has completed several single and multisite studies on psychopharmacological and behavioral interventions that have contributed to the evidence-based care of children with autism. In addition, he has led several studies designed to improve outcome measurement in intervention studies.

Dr. Scahill joined the faculty at Emory University and Marcus Autism Center in 2012 where he continues his work in these areas of research. He is an author of over 250 journal articles, a co-author of three treatment manuals and an editor of three textbooks.

Publications

2019

• Cariveau, T., Shillingsburg, M.A., Alamoudi, A., Thompson, T., Bartlett, B., Gillespie, S., & Scahill, L. (2019). Brief report: Feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a behavioral intervention for minimally verbal girls with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
• Scahill, L., Lecavalier, L., Schultz, R.T., Evans, A.N., Maddox, B., Pritchett, J., Herrington, J., Gillespie, S., Miller, J., Amoss, R.T., Aman, M. G., Bearss, K., Gadow, K., & Edwards, M.C. (2019). Development of the parent-rated anxiety scale for youth with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

2018

• Johnson, C.R., Smith, T., DeMand, A., Lecavalier, L., Evans, V., Gurka, M., Swiezy, N., Bearss, K., & Scahill, L. (2018). Exploring sleep quality of young children with autism spectrum disorder and disruptive behaviors. Sleep Medicine, 44, 61-66.
• Katz, T., Shui, A.M., Johnson, C.R., Richdale, A.L., Reynolds, A.M., Scahill, L., & Malow, B.A. (2018). Modification of the children's sleep habits questionnaire for children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 48 (8), 2629-2641.
• Lecavalier, L., McCracken, C.E., Aman, M.G., McDougle, C.J., McCracken, J.T., Tierney, E., Smith, T., Johnson, C., King, B., Handen, B., Swiezy, N. B., Eugene Arnold, L., Bearss, K., Vitiello, B., & Scahill, L. (2018). An exploration of concomitant psychiatric disorders in children with autism spectrum disorder. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 88, 57-64.
• Grondhuis, S.N., Lecavalier, L., Arnold, L.E., Handen, B.L., Scahill, L., McDougle, C.J., & Aman, M.G. (2018). Differences in verbal and nonverbal IQ test scores in children with autism spectrum disorder. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 49, 47-55.
• McGuire, J.F.,  Piacentini, J., Storch, E.A., Murphy, T.K., Ricketts, E.J., Woods, D.W., Walkup, J.W., Peterson, A.L., Wilhelm, S., Lewin, A.B., McCracken, J.T., Leckman, J.F., & Scahill, L. (2018). A multicenter examination and strategic revisions of the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale. Neurology, 90 (19), e1711-e1719.
• Scheithauer, M., Call, N., Mevers, J.L., & Scahill, L. (2018). A feasibility randomized clinical trial (RCT) of a manualized intervention targeting elopement (running away) in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. (Journal) 31, 564-564.
• Sharp, W.G., Postorino, V., McCracken, C.E., Berry, R.C., Criado, K.K., Burrell, T.L., & Scahill, L. (2018). Dietary intake, nutrient status, and growth parameters in children with autism spectrum disorder and severe food selectivity: An electronic medical record review. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 118 (10), 1943-1950.

2017

• Bradshaw, J., Bearss, K., McCracken, C., Smith, T., Johnson, C., Lecavalier, L., Swiezy, N., & Scahill, L. (2017). Parent education for young children with autism and disruptive behavior: Response to active control treatment. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology: The Official Journal for the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, American Psychological Association, Division 53, 1-11.
• Criado, K.K., Sharp, W.G., McCracken, C.E., De Vinck-Baroody, O., Dong, L., Aman, M.G., McDougle, C.J., McCracken, J.T., Eugene Arnold, L., Weitzman, C., Leventhal, J.M., Vitiello, B., & Scahill, L. (2017). Overweight and obese status in children with autism spectrum disorder and disruptive behavior. Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice, 22 (4), 450-459.
• Lecavalier, L., Smith, T., Johnson, C., Bearss, K., Swiezy, N., Aman, M.G., Sukhodolsky, D.G., Deng, Y., Dziura, J., & Scahill, L. (2017). Moderators of parent training for disruptive behaviors in young children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 45(6), 1235-1245.
• Murphy, T.K., Fernandez, T.V., Coffey, B.J., Rahman, O., Gavaletz, A., Hanks, C.E., Tillberg, C.S., Gomez, L.I., Sukhodolsky, D.G., Katsovich, L., & Scahill, L.(2017). Extended-release guanfacine does not show a large effect on tic severity in children with chronic tic disorders. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, 27 (9), 762-770.
• Perepletchikova, F., Nathanson, D., Axelrod, S. R., Merrill, C., Walker, A., Grossman, M., Rebeta, J., Scahill, L., Kaufman, J., Flye, B., Mauer, E., & Walkup, J. (2017). Randomized clinical trial of dialectical behavior therapy for preadolescent children with disruptive mood dysregulation disorder: Feasibility and outcomes. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 56 (10), 832-840.
• Sukhodolsky, D.G., Woods, D.W., Piacentini, J., Wilhelm, S., Peterson, A.L., Katsovich, L., Dziura, J., Walkup, J.T., & Scahill, L. (2017). Moderators and predictors of response to behavior therapy for tics in Tourette syndrome. Neurology, 88 (11), 1029-1036.
• Umbricht, D., Del Valle Rubido, M., Hollander, E., McCracken, J. T., Shic, F., Scahill, L., Noeldeke, J., Boak, L., Khwaja, O., Squassante, L., Grundschober, C., Kletzl, H., & Fontoura, P. (2017). A single dose, randomized, controlled proof-of-mechanism study of a novel vasopressin 1a receptor antagonist (RG7713) in high-functioning adults with autism spectrum disorder. Neuropsychopharmacology: Official Publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, 42 (9), 1924.

2016

• Scahill, L., & Challa, S.A. (2016). Repetitive behavior in children with autism spectrum disorder: Similarities and differences with obsessive-compulsive disorder. (Journal), 39-50.
• Sharp, W.G., Stubbs, K.H., Adams, H., Wells, B.M., Lesack, R.S., Criado, K.K., Simon, E.L., McCracken, C.E., West, L.L., & Scahill, L.D. (2016). Intensive, manual-based intervention for pediatric feeding disorders: Results from a randomized pilot trial. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, 62 (4), 658-663.
• Umbricht, D., Del Valle Rubido, M., Hollander, E., McCracken, J.T., Shic, F., Scahill, L., Noeldeke, J., Boak, L., Khwaja, O., Squassante, L., Grundschober, C., Kletzl, H., & Fontoura, P. (2016). A single dose, randomized, controlled proof-of-mechanism study of a novel vasopressin 1a receptor antagonist (RG7713) in high-functioning adults with autism spectrum disorder. Neuropsychopharmacology: Official Publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, 42 (9), 1914-1923.

2015

• Abramovitch, A., Reese, H., Woods, D.W., Peterson, A., Deckersbach, T., Piacentini, J., Scahill, L., & Wilhelm, S. (2015). Psychometric properties of a self-report instrument for the assessment of tic severity in adults with tic disorders. Behavior Therapy, 46 (6), 786-796.
• Aman, M., Rettiganti, M., Nagaraja, H.N., Hollway, J.A., McCracken, J., McDougle, C.J., Tierney, E., Scahill, L., Arnold, L.E., Hellings, J., Posey, D.J., Swiezy, N.B., Ghuman, J., Grados, M., Shah, B., & Vitiello, B. (2015). Tolerability, safety, and benefits of Risperidone in children and adolescents with autism: 21-month follow-up after 8-week placebo-controlled trial. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, 25 (6), 482-493.
• Bearss, K., Burrell, T.L., Stewart, L., & Scahill, L. (2015). Parent training in autism spectrum disorder: What's in a name? Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 18 (2), 170-182.
• Bearss, K., Burrell, T.L., Stewart, L., & Scahill, L. (2015). Erratum to: Parent training in autism spectrum disorder: What's in a name? Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 18 (2), 183.
• Bearss, K., Johnson, C., Smith, T., Lecavalier, L., Swiezy, N., Aman, M., McAdam, D.B., Butter, E., Stillitano, C., Minshawi, N., Sukhodolsky, D.G., Mruzek, D.W., Turner, K., Neal, T., Hallett, V., Mulick, J.A., Green, B., Handen, B., Deng, Y., Dziura, J., & Scahill, L. (2015). Effect of parent training vs parent education on behavioral problems in children with autism spectrum disorder: A randomized clinical trial. Journal of the American Medical Association, 313(15), 1524-1533.
• Calarge, C.A., Ziegler, E.E., Del Castillo, N., Aman, M., McDougle, C.J., Scahill, L., McCracken, J.T., & Arnold, L.E. (2015). Iron homeostasis during risperidone treatment in children and adolescents. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 76 (11), 1500-1505.
• Klin, A., Wetherby, A.M., Woods, J., Saulnier, C., Stapel-Wax, J., Klaiman, C., Jones, W., Rubin, E., Scahill, L., Call, N., Bearss, K., Gunter, C., Courtemanche, C.J., Lemieux, A., Cox, J.C., Mandell, D.S., Van Decar, J.P., Miller, R.A., & Shireman, C.L. (2015). Toward innovative, cost-effective, and systemic solutions to improve outcomes and well-being of military families affected by autism spectrum disorder. The Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine, 88 (1), 73-79.
• McGuire, J.F., Piacentini, J., Scahill, L., Woods, D.W., Villarreal, R., Wilhelm, S., Walkup, J.T., & Peterson, A.L. (2015). Bothersome tics in patients with chronic tic disorders: Characteristics and individualized treatment response to behavior therapy. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 70, 56-63.
• Nonaka, M., Matsuda, N., Kono, T., Fujio, M., Scahill, L., & Kano, Y. (2015). Preliminary study of behavioral therapy for Tourette Syndrome patients in Japan. Children's Health Care, 44, 293-306.
• Peterson, A.L., McGuire, J. F., Wilhelm, S., Piacentini, J., Woods, D.W., Walkup, J.T., Hatch, J. P., Villarreal, R., & Scahill, L. (2015). An empirical Examination of Symptom Substitution Associated With Behavior Therapy for Tourette's Disorder. Behavior Therapy, 47(1), 29-41.
• Pouget, J.G., Gonçalves, V.F., Nurmi, E.L., P Laughlin, C., Mallya, K.S., McCracken, J.T., Aman, M.G., McDougle, C.J., Scahill, L., Misener, V.L., Tiwari, A.K., Zai, C.C., Brandl, E.J., Felsky, D., Leung, A.Q., Lieberman, J.A., Meltzer, H.Y., Potkin, S.G., Niedling, C., Steimer, W., Leucht, S., Knight, J., Müller, D. J., & Kennedy, J.L. (2015). Investigation of TSPO variants in schizophrenia and antipsychotic treatment outcomes. Pharmacogenomics, 16(1), 5-22.
• Rubido, M.D.V., Umbricht, D., Shic, F., McCracken, J.T., Scahill, L., Khwaja, O., Squassante, L., Boak, L., Bolognani, F., & Fontoura, P. (2015). Results from a phase I proof-of-mechanism study with a vasopressin 1A receptor antagonist in autism spectrum disorder. (Journal), 25, S646-S647.
• Scahill, L., McCracken, J.T., King, B.H., Rockhill, C., Shah, B., Politte, L., Sanders, R., Minjarez, M., Cowen, J., Mullett, J., Page, C., Ward, D., Deng, Y., Loo, S., Dziura, J., & McDougle, C.J. (2015). Extended-Release Guanfacine for Hyperactivity in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 172 (12), 1197-1206.
• Scahill, L. (2015). Uncommon use of common measures in sulforaphane trial. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 112 (4), E349.

2014 

• Anagnostou, E., Jones, N., Huerta, M., Halladay, A.K., Wang, P., Scahill, L., Horrigan, J.P., Kasari, C., Lord, C., Choi, D., Sullivan, K., & Dawson, G. (2014). Measuring social communication behaviors as a treatment endpoint in individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice, 19 (5), 622-636.
• Deckersbach, T., Chou, T., Britton, J.C., Carlson, L.E., Reese, H.E., Siev, J., Scahill, L., Piacentini, J.C., Woods, D.W., & Walkup, J.T. (2014). Neural correlates of behavior therapy for Tourette's disorder. Psychiatry Res, 224 (3), 269-274. pmcID: PMC4410879
• Güler, A.S., Scahill, L., Jeon, S., Taşkın, B., Dedeoğlu, C., Ünal, S., & Yazgan, Y. (2014). Use of multiple informants to identify children at high risk for ADHD in Turkish school-age children. Journal of Attention Disorders, 21 (9), 764-775.
• McGuire, J.F., Sukhodolsky, D.G., Bearss, K., Grantz, H., Pachler, M., Lombroso, P.J., & Scahill, L. (2014). Individualized assessments in treatment research: an examination of parent-nominated target problems in the treatment of disruptive behaviors in youth with Tourette syndrome. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 45 (6), 686-694.
• Ramanujam, K., Himle, M.B., Hayes, L.P., Woods, D.W., Scahill, L., Sukhodolsky, D.G., Wilhelm, S., Deckersbach, T., Peterson, A.L., Specht, M., Walkup, J.T., Chang, S., & Piacentini, J. (2014). Clinical correlates and predictors of caregiver strain in children with chronic tic disorders. Children's Health Care: Journal of the Association for the Care of Children's Health, 44 (3), 249-263.
• Rozenman, M., Johnson, O. E., Chang, S.W., Woods, D.W., Walkup, J.T., Wilhelm, S., Peterson, A., Scahill, L., & Piacentini, J. (2014). Relationships between premonitory urge and anxiety in youth with chronic tic disorders. Children's Health Care: Journal of the Association for the Care of Children's Health, 44 (3), 235-248.
• White, S.W., Schry, A.R., Miyazaki, Y., Ollendick, T.H., & Scahill, L. (2014). Effects of verbal ability and severity of Autism on Anxiety in Adolescents With ASD: One-Year Follow-Up After Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology: The Official Journal for the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, American Psychological Association, Division 53, 44 (5), 839-845.

Speaking Engagements

• Scahill, L. (2018, October 25). Movement disorders in child psychiatry. Presented at the Annual Conference of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Seattle, WA.
• Scahill, L. (2018, July 10). Matching medication to target symptoms in youth with ASD. Presented at Marcus Autism Center, Summer Symposium, Atlanta, GA. 
• Scahill, L. (2018, June 9). Anxiety in children and adolescents. Presented at Emory Department of Pediatrics, Behavioral Health Symposium: Pediatric Anxiety - Minimizing the Worry, Atlanta, GA.
• Scahill, L. (2018, May 5). Parent training for disruptive behavior in young children with ASD. Presented at the Annual Conference of the American Psychiatric Association, New York, NY.
• Scahill, L. (2018, April 20). Parent training for disruptive behavior in young children with ASD. Presented at Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, VA. 
• Scahill, L. (2018, April 19). Toward better measurement of anxiety in youth with ASD. Presented at Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, VA. 
• Scahill, L. (2018, February 9).Parent training for disruptive behavior in young children with ASD: A home improvement model. Gayle Gwaltney Memorial Lecture presented at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA.
• Scahill, L. (2019, March 7). Distinguished guest lecture. Presented at the University at Albany, State University of New York, Center for Autism and Related Disabilities, Albany, NY.
• Scahill, L. (2018, Nov. 15). Keynote Address: Autism Special Interest Group. Presented at the Annual Conference of Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, Washington, D.C.