Susan White

Susan White is Professor and Doddridge Saxon Chairholder in Clinical Psychology at the University of Alabama's Department of Psychology, directing the Center for Youth Development and Intervention (CYDI). Her work focuses on advancing research-supported mental healthcare access for youth and families through evidence-based interventions.

She earned her PhD from Florida State University.

Dr. White's research centers on developmental psychopathology with primary emphasis on mechanism-driven interventions for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), targeting core and co-occurring problems. She champions dissemination of evidence-based practices to underserved communities, with expertise spanning neurodevelopmental disorders including ADHD and learning disorders. Her clinical approach integrates transdiagnostic processes underlying psychopathology, bridging research and real-world implementation.

Her distinguished honors include:

• Fellow of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT)
• Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA)
• Fellow of Division 53 of APA (Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology)
• Board Certification in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology
• 2019 Mentor Award from ABCT Autism Special Interest Group
• Honorary UA Mortar Board membership (2020)
• Doddridge Saxon Chairholder distinction

As a dedicated mentor, Dr. White received student-nominated recognition for inclusive education and mentoring excellence. Her NIH and Department of Defense-funded research has produced evidence-based programs including the Emotion Awareness and Skills Enhancement (EASE) Program, Multimodal Anxiety and Social Skills Intervention (MASSI), and Stepped Transition in Education Program for Students with ASD (STEPS).

She leads the CYDI and Psychosocial Interventions Lab, teams committed to translating clinical science into community practice through workshops for schools and mental health agencies, while advancing implementation science for diverse youth populations.