معرفی
Christina Topolewski serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Social Work at Eastern Michigan University, specializing in disability and aging across the lifespan. Her academic foundation includes a Ph.D. in Social Work with a Dual Title in Gerontology from Wayne State University, complemented by an MSW from the University of Michigan (where she held an Aging Fellowship) and a BS in Special Education from Wayne State University.
Her research program centers on disability and aging dynamics, with particular emphasis on Autism Spectrum Disorder, caregiver quality of life, and school-based services for students with disabilities. Current investigations focus on parents and grandparents of children and adults with disabilities, including national qualitative studies examining future planning challenges and coping strategies among aging caregivers of adults with ASD.
Dr. Topolewski's scholarly contributions include significant publications analyzing social support networks, service access barriers, fracture risks in neurodevelopmental disabilities, and guardianship policy frameworks. Her work demonstrates interdisciplinary reach across social work, gerontology, public health, and disability law, with recurring themes of caregiver burden, quality-of-life determinants, and systemic barriers faced by families.
- Aging Fellow (University of Michigan MSW program)
As an educator, she teaches SWRK 450 (Social Work Practice with Women and Girls), SWRK 478/591 (Social Work Practice with Persons Living with Autism Spectrum Disorder), and field experience courses. Her practice background includes 18 years as a Special Education teacher consultant and counselor for children, adolescents, and families. Professional affiliations include the National Task Group on Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia Practices (Board Member & Co-Chair of Membership Affairs) and the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Institute (Research Associate), alongside memberships in the Gerontological Society of America and International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
Her applied work integrates clinical social work with educational systems through certifications as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Michigan Professional Teaching Certificate holder (K-12 Cognitive Impairments endorsement).
