About Dr. Maya

Aloha! My name is Dr. Maya Matheis. As a clinical psychologist, my focus is providing support services to children, adolescents, and adults with autism and other developmental disabilities. I specialize in parent coaching, mental health therapy, and diagnosis of neurodevelopmental disorders.

My clinical approach has three main pillars: alliance, respect, and empathy.

Alliance: I actively work to create a strong alliance with my clients and their ‘ohana so that we are working as a partnership.
Respect: I treat all people with dignity and respect, and affirm all identities. Being mixed-race, disabled, and multicultural myself, I understand the importance of having a therapist who validates and embraces your culture and lived experience. I am also a strong supporter of the neurodiversity movement; I believe that people with neurodevelopmental differences know what they need.
Empathy: I provide a safe space for my clients’ thoughts and feelings. I will listen and learn alongside you.

I am passionate about the use of evidence-based practices, which are often restricted to research settings. As a researcher, I stay abreast of trends and findings and incorporate them into my practice. I am currently a faculty member at the Center on Disability Studies at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. My research interests center on the implementation of autism interventions in the community and low-resource settings and mental health treatment for individuals with autism and intellectual disabilities.

Licensure

Hawai‘i, #PSY19790

California, #PSY32638

Clinical Training

2019-2021 Postdoctoral Scholar, UC Davis MIND Institute

2020 Certification in Project ImPACT

2019 Certification in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)

2018-2019 APA-Accredited Predoctoral Psychology Internship, UC Davis CAARE Center & MIND Institute

2018-2019 Northern California Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) Program

Education

2019 PhD, Clinical Psychology, Louisiana State University

2014 MSW, Child Mental Health, Washington University in St. Louis

2007 BA, Psychology, Bard College at Simon’s Rock

Selected Peer-Reviewed Articles

Franz, L., Goodwin, C. D., Rieder, A., Matheis, M., & Damiano, D. L. (2022). Early intervention for very young children with or at high likelihood for autism spectrum disorder: An overview of reviews. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 64(9), 1063–1076.

Boyd, B. A., Stahmer, A. C., Odom, S. L., Wallisch, A., & Matheis, M. (2022). It’s time to close the research to practice gap in autism: The need for implementation science. Autism : The International Journal of Research and Practice, 26(3), 569–574.

Cervantes, P. E., Matheis, M., Estabillo, J., Seag, D. E. M., Nelson, K. L., Peth-Pierce, R., Hoagwood, K. E., & Horwitz, S. M. (2021). Trends over a decade in NIH funding for autism spectrum disorder services research. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 51(8), 2751–2763.

Matheis, M., Matson, J.L., Hong, E., & Cervantes, P.E. (2019). Gender differences and similarities: Autism symptomatology and developmental functioning in young children. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(3), 1219-1231.

Issarraras, A., Matson, J.L., Matheis, M., & Burns, C.O. (2019). Differences in developmental concerns of young children with autism spectrum disorder across racial/ethnic groups. Developmental Neurorehabilitation, 22(3), 174-179.

Matheis, M., Matson, J.L., & Burns, C.O. (2018). Premature birth, low birth weight, and positive screening for autism spectrum disorder in an early intervention sample. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 30(5), 689–705.

Jiang, X., Matson, J.L., Cervantes, P.E., Matheis, M., & Burns, C.O. (2017). Gastrointestinal issues in infants and children with autism and developmental delays. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 1–11.

Matson, J.L., Matheis, M., Burns, C.O., Esposito, G., Venuti, P., Pisula, E., … Goldin, R.L. (2017). Examining cross-cultural differences in autism spectrum disorder: A multinational comparison from Greece, Italy, Japan, Poland, and the United States. European Psychiatry, 42, 70–76.

Matheis, M., Matson, J.L., Burns, C.O., Jiang, X., Peters, W.J., Moore, M., … Estabillo, J. (2016). Factors related to parental age of first concern in toddlers with autism spectrum disorder. Developmental Neurorehabilitation, 20(4), 228–235.

Matheis, M., & Matson, J.L. (2015). Autism spectrum disorder screening refusal rates: Findings from a statewide early intervention program. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 27(6), 755-770.

Selected Book Chapters

Matheis, M. (2020) Assessment and diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in individuals with intellectual disability. In J.L. Matson (Eds). Handbook of dual diagnosis: Assessment, diagnosis, and treatment in persons with intellectual disabilities (pp. 267-283). Springer.

Matson, J. L., Matheis, M., Estabillo, J.A., Burns, C.O., Issarraras, A., Peters, W.J., & Jiang, X. (2019). Intellectual disability. In M. J. Prinstein, E. A. Youngstrom, E. J. Mash, & R. A. Barkley (Eds.). Treatment of disorders in childhood and adolescence, 4th edition (416-447). New York: Guilford Publications.

Matheis, M. & Estabillo, J.A. (2018). Assessment of fine and gross motor skills in children. In J. L. Matson (Eds). Handbook of childhood psychopathology and developmental disabilities: Assessment. New York: Springer

Matheis, M., Estabillo, J. A., & Matson, J. L. (2017). Managing challenging behavior in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. In M. Gelbar (Eds). Adolescents with autism spectrum disorders: A clinical handbook. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Matheis, M., & Turygin, N. C. (2016). Depression and autism. In J. L. Matson (Ed.), Handbook of assessment and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (pp. 285–300). Springer International Publishing.