Dr. Shana Cohen

Biography

Shana Cohen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Education Studies at the University of California, San Diego. Her research focuses on the beliefs and experiences of Mexican heritage families regarding autism spectrum disorder (ASD). She is particularly interested in how parents' beliefs about the causes, symptoms, and treatments of ASD shape their educational decisions, childrearing goals, and parenting practices. Utilizing a sociocultural framework informed by literature on cultural models of education and child socialization, Cohen’s work highlights the experiences of typically developing Mexican immigrant families, aiming to enhance diagnosis and treatment protocols for young children with autism. A native Spanish speaker and a former clinician, she has worked as an early childhood special educator and political advocate for Latino children with disabilities and their families. Cohen teaches both graduate and undergraduate courses that focus on characteristics, etiology, and identification of children with disabilities, fostering a socially conscious and rigorous academic environment.

Research Interests