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Rachel Elise Aiello

Associate Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Psychiatry, Child & Family Mental Health & Community Psychiatry
2608 Erwin Road, Suite 300, Durham, NC 27705

Current Appointments & Affiliations


Associate Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences · 2025 - Present Psychiatry, Child & Family Mental Health & Community Psychiatry, Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences

Recent Publications


Behavioral characteristics of toddlers later identified with an autism diagnosis, ADHD symptoms, or combined autism and ADHD symptoms.

Journal Article J Child Psychol Psychiatry · February 2025 BACKGROUND: Autism commonly co-occurs with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but less is known regarding how ADHD symptoms impact the early presentation of autism. This study examined early behavioral characteristics of a community sample of ... Full text Link to item Cite

Adaptive Behavior in Young Autistic Children: Associations with Irritability and ADHD Symptoms.

Journal Article J Autism Dev Disord · September 2024 Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms affect 40-60% of autistic children and have been linked to differences in adaptive behavior. It is unclear whether adaptive behavior in autistic youth is directly impacted by co-occurring ADHD sympto ... Full text Link to item Cite

Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome in Young Autistic Children, Children with ADHD, and Autistic Children with ADHD.

Journal Article J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol · June 20, 2024 OBJECTIVE: Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome (CDS; previously called Sluggish Cognitive Tempo) refers to a constellation of cognitive and motor behaviors characterized by a predisposition toward mind wandering (cognitive subdomain) and slowed motor behavior ... Full text Link to item Cite
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Recent Grants


Stratifying the Heterogeneity of Autism Spectrum Disorder: Impact of Co-Occurring Anxiety and ADHD

ResearchClinical Associate · Awarded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development · 2021 - 2026

Novel Approaches to Infant Screening for ASD in Pediatric Primary Care

ResearchPsychologist · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2019 - 2025

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Education, Training & Certifications


University of Kentucky · 2013 Ph.D.