Rate My Professor Theodore Tomeny

Theodore S. Tomeny, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at The University of Alabama, serving as Director of Undergraduate Studies and Director of the Research on Autism and Families (RAF) Lab. He earned his Ph.D. in clinical child psychology from the University of Southern Mississippi and completed a pre-doctoral internship at Indiana University School of Medicine with an autism emphasis. His primary concentration is Clinical Child Psychology, with secondary concentrations in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Tomeny's research focuses on intellectual and developmental disabilities, particularly autism spectrum disorder (ASD), exploring cross-neurotype interactions, family functioning across the lifespan, sibling relationships, caregiver experiences, quality of life factors for individuals with ASD, perceptions of autism among stakeholders, and challenges for underserved, rural families. His lab collaborates with the University of Alabama ASD Clinic, UA-ACTS program, Center for Innovative Research in Autism, Center for Youth Development and Intervention, and Alabama Research Institute on Aging. Ongoing projects include long-term care planning for aging autistic adults involving siblings, attitudes of non-autistic undergraduates toward autistic peers, and rural caregivers' knowledge of autism.

Tomeny's publications include highly cited works such as 'Fathers of youth with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review of the impact of fathers’ involvement on youth, families, and intervention' (2019, Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review), 'Geographic and demographic correlates of autism-related anti-vaccine beliefs on Twitter, 2009-15' (2017, Social Science & Medicine), 'Are typically-developing siblings of children with an autism spectrum disorder at risk for behavioral, emotional, and social maladjustment?' (2012, Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders), and 'Parentification of Adult Siblings of Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder' (2017, Journal of Child and Family Studies). Recent publications cover topics like non-autistic college students’ responses to autistic peers (2025, Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders), teachers’ classroom strategies for students with ASD (2023, Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities), and a naturalistic intervention to increase sibling interactions (2021, Behavior Modification). With over 1,600 Google Scholar citations, his research impacts understanding of ASD family dynamics. He serves on the University of Alabama Faculty Senate.