Chrystina A. Dolyniuk

Associate Professor

• Email Address: cdolyniuk@rider.edu
• Phone: (609)895-5423
• Office: Science Hall 319A
• Mailing Address: 2083 Lawrenceville Road , Lawrenceville, NJ 08648

University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Educational & Developmental Psychology

Dr. Dolyniuk is a specialist in learning disabilities and developmental disabilities. She teaches courses in Introductory Psychology, Child and Adolescent Development, Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities. She is co-advisor to Psi Ch and the Psychology Club.

I am a native Californian who received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles (1990) and a Master of Arts in Special Education from California State University, Northridge (1992). I completed my Ph.D. in Educational /Developmental Psychology at the University of Calgary in 1997.
Students frequently ask me how a Californian who studied in Canada ended up in New Jersey. Quite frankly, I did not take a direct route to the Garden State. I made a number of moves over the last several years, each in pursuit of a particular personal or professional goal.

I returned to California during the Spring of 1996 and worked as a project manager at UCLA Medical Center for nearly two years while I prepared or my doctoral defense. In August of 1998, I moved once again (this time to Rochester, New York) in pursuit of post-doctoral training at the University of Rochester, Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities. After completing my post-doctoral fellowship, I moved (yet again) to Boston in pursuit of teaching jobs. I spent the following year teaching as an adjunct instructor at three different colleges in Massachusetts: Worcester State College, Curry College, and Lasell College. While living in Boston, a native New Yorker asked me to marry him (I said yes) and we both started looking for jobs in the same state... and that's how I ended up in New Jersey!

I joined Rider University's faculty in September of 2000. I currently teach courses in Introductory Psychology (Psych 100), Adolescent Development (Psych 231), Cognitive Disabilities / Mental Retardation (Psych 237) and Developmental Disabilities (Psych 330).

I am the academic advisor to all psychology and education double majors with a minor in special education. I serve as co-advisor to the Psychology Service Club and Psi Chi National Honor Society in Psychology. I serve on the Supported Employment Advisory Board [SEAB] and am a member of the Rider's Gender Studies Faculty.

My work primarily addresses the adjustment and development of persons with a broad spectrum of developmental disabilities and learning disorders. Current projects include: Social skills development and socialization of adolescents and young adults with disabilities; Educational and community inclusion of students with disabilities; Teacher expectations for students with learning differences; Perceptions and attitudes towards people with disabilities.

If you would like to learn more about ongoing research projects, or you would like to become involved in applied developmental research, please contact me. I'm always looking for motivated and interested students. Thanks for visiting this page!

Affiliations

• American Psychological Association
• American Association on Mental Retardation
• Council for Exceptional Children
• Special Olympics, New Jersey

Selected Publications

• Kamens, M.W., Dolyniuk, C.A., DiNardo, P., Forsyth, J., Rockoff,J. C., and Corman, H  (2004).  A collaborative approach to enhancing employment and social skills of students with disabilities:  Perspectives of the stakeholds.  Preventing School Failure, 48(2), 24-30.
• Kamens, M. W., Dolyniuk, C. A., & DiNardo, P. (2003). Preparing teachers for transition of students with developmental disabilities through community-based instruction. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 99-118.
• Dolyniuk, C. A. (2002). Experiential learning for students with and without developmental disabilities: Reflections on real life. Down Syndrome Quarterly, 7(4), 1-5.
• Dolyniuk, C.A., Kamens, M.W., Corman, H., DiNardo, P. O. Totaro, R., & Rockoff, J.C. (2002). Students with developmental disabilities go to college: Description of a collaborative transition project on a regular college campus. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities,17(4), 236-241.
• Dolyniuk, C.A. (1997). Using narrative to promote the conceptual development of adolescents with learning disability and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. (Doctoral Dissertation, University of Calgary, 1997). Dissertation Abstracts International Section A: Humanities & Social Sciences, Database No: 1999-95005-002.
• Dolyniuk, C.A. (1990). Attention and mastery in children with Down Syndrome. Pacific State Archives. University of California, Los Angeles, 15, 112-120.
• Tymchuk, A. J., Groen, A., & Dolyniuk, C.A. (2000). Health, safety, and well-being. Reading recognition abilities of young parents with functional disabilities: Construction and preliminary validation of a prescriptive instrument. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 12(4), 349-366.
• Tymchuk, A. J., Lang, C.M., Dolyniuk, C.A., Berney-Ficklin, K., & Spitz, R. (1999). The Home Inventory of Dangers and Safety Precautions [HIDSP-2]: Addressing critical needs for prescriptive assessment devices in child maltreatment and in health care. Child Abuse and Neglect, 23(1), 1-14.

Conference Presentations

• Dolyniuk, C. A.  (August, 2004).  The effects of gender and behavior on teacher expectations:  A ten-year follow-up.   Paper presented at the 2004 Convention of the American Psychological Association [APA], Honolulu, Hawaii.
• Dolyniuk, C.A.  (October, 2002).   Perceptions and attitudes toward people with developmental disabilities:  A vision of the future based on real-life experience.  Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Association on Mental Retardation [AAMR]  Region IX Conference.  Martinsburg, West Virginia.
• Dolyniuk, C.A.,  Kamens, M.W.,  DiNardo, P.,  Rockoff, J.C.  & Corman, H.   (November, 2001).   The Rider University  West Windsor-Plainsboro Transition Project. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Association on Mental Retardation [AAMR] , Region IX Conference.  Langhorne, Pennsylvania.
• Dolyniuk, C.A. & McKeough, A.  (April, 1996). Teaching Narrative Composition:   Microgenetic and Multidimensional Analyses of Instruction with LD/ADHD Adolescents.  Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association [AERA].  New York, New York.
• Kamens, M. W., Dolyniuk, C.A. & Forsyth, J.  (October, 2002).  Building Broader Perspectives for Better Outcomes in Teacher Education.  Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional Children [TED, CEC].  Savannah, Georgia.
• Kamens, M.W. & Dolyniuk, C.A.  (June, 2003).  Students with Developmental Disabilities Visit a College Campus:  Perspectives of a Collaborative Transition Partnership,  Paper accepted by International Association of Special Education (IASE) for presentation at 2003 Conference:  Global Challenges, Practices, and Trends.  Hong Kong.  Conference cancelled due to SARS Health Problem.
• Kamens, M.W.  & Dolyniuk, C.A.  (January, 2004).  The Benefits of Service Learning in Special Education and Psychology (A Cross-disciplinary view).  Paper presented at the International Conference on Education, Honolulu, Hawaii.
• Kamens, M.W. & Dolyniuk, C.A.  (April, 2004, anticipated).  Job-sampling Experience for Students with Developmental Disabilities: A Collaborative University / Community Partnership. Paper will be presented at the Annual Meeting of Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional Children [TED, CEC].  New Orleans, Louisiana.
• McKeough, A.,  Easton, J., Wigmore, B.,  Dolyniuk, C.A., & Marini, A. (June, 1996).  Reflections on Learning:  Young Adolescents Analyses of Their Narrative Knowledge and Group Composition Experience.  Paper presented to The Jean Piaget Society.  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.