Sarah Edmunds

Dr. Sarah Edmunds is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of South Carolina, affiliated with the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences. She is a core member of the USCAND autism excellence initiative and the RISE research network’s implementation science team. Her research focuses on neurodiversity-informed interventions for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), emphasizing equitable access to evidence-based practices within healthcare and education systems. She employs community-based participatory research (CBPR) to involve autistic individuals, families, and providers in all stages of research design and implementation.

Dr. Edmunds holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Washington, with postdoctoral training at Duke University Medical Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, and Harvard Medical School. Her educational background includes a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Cornell University.

Her research interests include identifying effective intervention components ('active ingredients') for ASD, adapting interventions like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to autistic children’s needs, and reducing disparities in intervention access across racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. She explores the balance between fidelity (adherence to intervention design) and adaptation (tailoring to individual/community needs) to enhance implementation success.

Key themes in her publications include parent-mediated interventions, early language development in ASD, and the role of irritability as a transdiagnostic risk factor. She has contributed to studies on telediagnostic evaluations, caregiver stress, and motor function differences in autistic toddlers.

Dr. Edmunds collaborates with federally-funded early intervention programs to train providers in ASD-specialized strategies. She advocates for infrastructure improvements to scale up effective interventions and address systemic inequities in mental health access for autistic children.

Professional affiliations include the USCAND initiative and RISE network. In her free time, she engages in hiking, theater, and cooking for friends.