Physician Profile

Cynthia Rheney Johnson, PhD, BCBA, is Director of the Autism Center in the Division of Developmental / Behavioral Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC and an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and Education at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Johnson received her doctoral degree from the University of South Carolina. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in child psychology and applied behavior analysis.

Her clinical and research focus include developmental disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorders with an emphasis on the younger preschool years. She has conducted research in the assessment and both behavioral and medication treatments for children with autism and other developmental disorders. She has conducted research on early characteristics of young children with autism. She is currently a co-investigator on two NIH funded grants studying the efficacy of cognitive enhancing drugs in ASD as well as evaluating the effectiveness of behavioral interventions as an adjunct to medication. Current clinical responsibilities include assessments of young children suspected of autism and behavioral consultation. Dr. Johnson also teaches the Applied Behavior Analysis coursework at the University of Pittsburgh required for eligibility to apply for Board Certification as a Behavior Analyst. She further provides mentoring and supervision to doctoral graduate students.

Dr. Johnson is a licensed psychologist and a board certified behavior analyst. She is a member of the American Psychological Association, Society for Child Development, and Association of Applied Behavior Analysis.