Ariel is a woman with dark, shoulder-length brown hair wearing a checkered button up shirt

Ariel Schwartz

Research Assistant Professor
Phone: (603) 862-0060
Office: UNH CHHS Institute on Disability, 10 West Edge, Durham, NH 03824
Websites:
Curriculum Vitae
Pronouns: She/her/hers

Ariel Schwartz is committed to advancing knowledge about the use of inclusive/participatory research approaches with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Throughout all of her research, she partners with individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities.<br /><br />Her research is focused on participation and wellness for transition-age youth with intellectual/developmental disabilities. Recent research has addressed employment for transition-age youth with co-occurring mental health conditions, the development and testing of a peer mentoring intervention to address mental health self-management for transition-age youth, and the development of accessible research ethics training that will support individuals with disabilities to take on a range of research roles. Dr. Schwartz has also contributed to the development of an accessible patient-reported outcome measure (the PEDI-PRO) for young adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities and co-developed a framework of cognitive accessibility for patient-reported outcome measures. <br /><br />Dr. Schwartz’s research has been funded by NIDILRR and PCORI, in addition to a range of local and national foundations. She has also served as a Consultant, Engagement Coordinator, and Project Manager for multiple PCORI and NIH-funded studies.<br />In addition, Dr. Schwartz has clinical experience as an occupational therapist in inpatient mental health and community-based settings.

Courses Taught

  • HHS 400D: UNH-4U Seminar
  • OT 695: Independent Study

Education

  • Ph.D., Rehabilitation Science, Boston University

Research Interests

  • Developmental Disabilities
  • Young Adults
  • Measurement

Selected Publications

  • Brodeur, M., Schwartz, A., & McDonald, K. (2025). A Scoping Review of the Ways Gatekeepers May Hinder or Promote Opportunities for People With Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities to Learn About Research Participation.. J Intellect Disabil Res, 69(5), 329-344. doi:10.1111/jir.13216

  • Schwartz, A. E., McDonald, K., Ahlers, K., Anderson, E., Ausderau, K., Corey, J., . . . Vetoulis-Acevedo, M. (2025). Social validity of Research Ethics for All: Social-behavioral research ethics education for community research partners with developmental disabilities. Disability and Health Journal, 18(2), 101762. doi:10.1016/j.dhjo.2024.101762

  • McDonald, K., Brodeur, M., & Schwartz, A. (2025). Risks and Safeguards in Social-Behavioural Research With Adults With Developmental Disabilities: A Qualitative Systematic Review.. J Appl Res Intellect Disabil, 38(2), e70031. doi:10.1111/jar.70031

  • Schwartz, A., Davern, N., Herer, A., Peace-Urquilla, M., Corey, J., Muthuramalingam, D., & Vallabhaneni, N. (2025). Exploring the Acceptability of a Peer-Delivered Mental Health Intervention to Support Young Adults With Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities.. J Appl Res Intellect Disabil, 38(1), e70014. doi:10.1111/jar.70014

  • Schwartz, A. E., McDonald, K., & Research Ethics for All Consortium. (2025). Research ethics for all: Development of a social-behavioral research ethics education program for community research partners with developmental disabilities.. Disabil Health J, 18(1), 101675. doi:10.1016/j.dhjo.2024.101675

  • Schwartz, A. E., Munsell, E. G. S., Schmidt, E. K., Colón-Semenza, C., Carolan, K., & Gassner, D. L. (2021). Impact of COVID-19 on services for people with disabilities and chronic health conditions.. Disabil Health J, 14(3), 101090. doi:10.1016/j.dhjo.2021.101090

  • Schwartz, A. E., Kramer, J. M., Cohn, E. S., & McDonald, K. E. (2020). "That Felt Like Real Engagement": Fostering and Maintaining Inclusive Research Collaborations With Individuals With Intellectual Disability. QUALITATIVE HEALTH RESEARCH, 30(2), 236-249. doi:10.1177/1049732319869620

  • Kramer, J. M., Helfrich, C., Levin, M., Hwang, I. -T., Samuel, P. S., Carrellas, A., . . . Kolaczyk, E. D. (2018). Initial evaluation of the effects of an environmental-focused problem-solving intervention for transition-age young people with developmental disabilities: Project TEAM.. Dev Med Child Neurol, 60(8), 801-809. doi:10.1111/dmcn.13715

  • Schwartz, A. E., Kramer, J. M., & Longo, A. L. (2018). Patient-reported outcome measures for young people with developmental disabilities: incorporation of design features to reduce cognitive demands.. Dev Med Child Neurol, 60(2), 173-184. doi:10.1111/dmcn.13617

  • Kramer, J. M., & Schwartz, A. (2017). Refining the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory-Patient-Reported Outcome (PEDI-PRO) item candidates: interpretation of a self-reported outcome measure of functional performance by young people with neurodevelopmental disabilities.. Dev Med Child Neurol, 59(10), 1083-1088. doi:10.1111/dmcn.13482

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  • Most Cited Publications