About Dr. D

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Based on my dissertation for a PhD in Clinical Psychology, I Am A Nice Person and Playing Games Is Fun are interactive mobile applications based off my original illustrations and characters that children with developmental disabilities, particularly those with autism, engage in to improve social skills and decrease problem behaviors.

I was first inspired when I worked for the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School System in California, as a behavior therapist for children diagnosed with autism. I will always remember working with these children and their families, especially Martha. She inspired me.

Martha, seven at the time, lacked the ability to transform her understanding about social interaction and the capability to interact with others in a productive and positive manner. Her story touched my heart. I was determined to find a tailored solution that would meet her educational and comprehension needs.

Having obtained a Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy with an emphasis in Art Therapy and Bachelor's degree in Fine Art, I decided to create and illustrate an educational story about Martha, targeting the areas she struggled with. Martha loved helping to illustrate the book and, as a result, showed increased interest in the story's content and a sense of pride in the finished result. This is when the idea of You, Me, & Dr. D coalesced.

Driven by my clients and their families, I went on to earn my PhD in Clinical Psychology. After significant research on the educational challenges facing children with autism and personal experience with effective educational methods, I decided to create a unique interactive computer game designed to improve children's social skills and decrease problem behaviors. In the preliminary stages of research and development, I realized how few computer programs were based on scientific studies or were scientifically tested. Given children with autism gravitation towards the computer to escape oftentimes confusing everyday worlds, I knew multimedia intervention was the correct choice.

Several hundred hours of research, illustration and development later, I Am A Nice Person and Playing Games Is Fun came to life. To my great satisfaction, the results paid off. Children who played the computer game once a week for thirty minutes over one month demonstrated a significant improvement in all seven areas of tested social skills (self-control, engagement, empathy, responsibility, assertion, cooperation and communication) and a decrease in all four areas of tested problem behaviors (internalizing, hyperactivity/inattention, bullying and externalizing).

The remarkable results, the encouraging feedback from children, parents and teachers compelled me to reach more families and children with autism by creating a mobile version of the games. It is no secret that tablets are progressing education in unprecedented ways. Whether at home, at school, on the bus, or in the car, I Am A Nice Person and Playing Games is Fun can help to realize a child's full potential. The journey is just beginning and I'd love for you to join me. I'm illustrating more stories everyday so stay tuned for more apps and feel free to contact me. I appreciate your feedback.

Wishing You Only The Best, Dr. D Dayna Cipolla-Jetton, Ph.D., M.A., M.F.T., B.F.A.