Nava R. Silton

Nava R. Silton, Ph.D., a Developmental Psychologist, graduated from Cornell University in 2002 and received her M.A. and Ph.D. from Fordham University in 2009. Silton has worked at Nickelodeon, at Sesame Street Workshop, and at Mediakidz. She has taught both undergraduate and graduate Psychology courses at Cornell University, Fordham University, Hunter College, Touro College and is currently an Associate Professor at Marymount Manhattan College. She was a Postdoctoral Templeton Fellow at the Spears Research Institute from 2009-2010, and has served as a consultant for projects conducted by the Autism Seaver Center at Mount Sinai Hospital, at Sesame Street Workshop and at Netflix. Silton has published over a dozen articles in the area of religion and health has published her most recent peer-reviewed journal articles, chapters and edited books in the areas of disabilities, media and creativity. Nava published her first book: Innovative Technologies to Benefit Children with Autism in March 2014, her second edited book: Recent Advances in Assistive Technologies to Support Children with Developmental Disorders in June 2015 and is now completing this third edited book: Exploring the Benefits of Creativity in Education, Media and the Arts for a July 2016 release date and has begun a fourth text, Family Dynamics and Romantic Relationships in a Changing Society for a July 2017 release date. Silton is currently pitching her Realabilities/Addy & Uno TV Show and assessing the efficacy of her popular Realabilities Comic Book Series across the U.S. Additionally, Nava is a Psychology point person for Fox 5 News and NBC News. Silton is also a weekly coach for Special Olympics Gymnastics, helps run weekly Jewish learning and visiting the sick programs, and chairs a variety of fundraising initiatives in Manhattan. Nava is married to Dr. Ariel Brandwein, a Pediatric ICU fellow at LIJ Medical Center, and is the proud mother of two wonderful little guys, Judah and Jonah Brandwein.

Publications

Challenges and Opportunities for Women, Parenting, and Child Development

In contemporary academia, the multifaceted roles of women and the unique challenges they encounter throughout their lives and motherhood are often understudied and overlooked....

Exploring the Benefit of Creative Arts Therapies for Children, Adolescents, and Adults

Recently, there has been growing interest in understanding the benefits of creative therapies for people from all kinds of backgrounds. These therapies are beneficial for...

The Creative Arts and Its Impact on Foster Children Within Their Critical Developmental Years

A child being put into the foster care system comes with various trials. This begins with the foster child's original household dynamic either consisting of neglect or...

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Child, Adolescent, and Adult Development

The unprecedented nature of the COVID-19 pandemic impacted individuals, families, communities, states, and countries in ways that were never expected. A closer study of how the...

Employing Disability Simulations and Virtual Reality Technology to Foster Cognitive and Affective Empathy Towards Individuals With Disabilities

The chapter will begin by defining empathy and theory of mind (ToM), key constructs for showcasing the importance of simulations and immersive experiences to help typical...

The Impact of COVID on Elderly Adults With Dementia and Other Cognitive Disabilities

The COVID-19 pandemic was particularly problematic for vulnerable populations. Elderly individuals with cognitive disabilities were a particularly high-risk group. The present...

“What If Goodness Ruled the World?”: Utilizing a Comic Book Series and Puppet Musical to Promote Empathy, A Disabilities Awareness and Stop Bullying Platform in and out of the Schools

This chapter describes how the Realabilities Comic Book Series and the Addy & Uno Off-Broadway Musical feature five characters with disabilities, who harness the special...

Kindness Makes a Difference: Assessing the Efficacy of Addy & Uno, an Off-Broadway Musical, and the Realabilities Educational Comic Book Series Curriculum in Enhancing Children's Kindness, Empathy, and Interest in Their Peers With Disabilities and Mental Health Disorders

High quality interventions, which employ an extended contact model, wherein stories, roleplaying, and other appealing informational media are used to promote more positive...

Exploring Best Child Development Practices in Contemporary Society

Parents and teachers require a greater understanding of child development and of evidence-based research practices for how to best raise successful, emotionally intelligent...

Key Ingredients for Fostering Emotional Intelligence in Children

This chapter delves into the history of emotional intelligence, from early allusions in the 1920s to contemporary times. It describes the various facets and components of...

High quality interventions, which employ an extended contact model, wherein stories, roleplaying, and other appealing informational media are used to promote more positive...

Parenting in Dyads With an ASD-Child: An Overview of the Challenges and Intervention Perspectives Through Attachment Theoretical Framework

This chapter provides an overview of the complex experience of parenting children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) from an attachment-based perspective. The role of parental...

Scientific Concepts Behind Happiness, Kindness, and Empathy in Contemporary Society

Significant progress has been made in the study of human psychology in recent years. However, the human pursuit of happiness through the use of scientific methods has yet to be...

Employing Disability Simulations and Virtual Reality Technology to Foster Cognitive and Affective Empathy Towards Individuals With Disabilities

The chapter will begin by defining empathy and theory of mind (ToM), key constructs for showcasing the importance of simulations and immersive experiences to help typical...

“What If Goodness Ruled the World?”: Utilizing a Comic Book Series and Puppet Musical to Promote Empathy, A Disabilities Awareness and Stop Bullying Platform in and out of the Schools

This chapter describes how the Realabilities Comic Book Series and the Addy & Uno Off-Broadway Musical feature five characters with disabilities, who harness the special...

Exploring the Benefits of Creativity in Education, Media, and the Arts

The use of imagination can lead to greater outcomes in problem solving, innovation, and critical thinking. By providing access to creative outlets, productivity increases in...

Realabilities: Opening New Vistas to Enhance Knowledge, Attitudes, and Intentions towards Peers with Disabilities

Children with disabilities are two to three times more likely to be victimized by bullying than their typical peers (Carter & Spencer, 2006). Since half of all preschool children...

Family Dynamics and Romantic Relationships in a Changing Society

As society changes and develops, personal relationships can be significantly affected by evolving cultures. By examining amorous and familial bonds in the present era, a...

I Want to Know What Love Is: The Ingredients of Liking, Attraction, Dating, and Successful Marital Relationships

This chapter delves into the intricacies of liking, attraction, online dating, successful marriage and the roots of divorce to better explicate the rich, but complex development...

The Coming Out Experience of Individuals Who Identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transgender

This literature review will explore the relationships of individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender and their fears of how their relationships will be...

Realabilities: The Development of a Research-Based Children's Television Program to Address Disability Awareness and a Stop-Bullying Platform in the Schools

This chapter explores Realabilities, a video-based children's television program featuring unique characters, each with a distinct disability. Beyond utilizing video...

Recent Advances in Assistive Technologies to Support Children with Developmental Disorders

The greatest advantage of modern technology is its ability to improve the lives of all. In particular, new technologies have the potential to greatly mitigate cognitive, motor...

Innovative Technologies to Benefit Children on the Autism Spectrum

More than ever, emerging technology is assisting individuals with autism in a variety of ways. However, many parents, schools, and special education professionals are not aware...

Realabilities: The Development of a Research-Based Children’s Television Program to Address Disability Awareness and a Stop-Bullying Platform in the Schools

This chapter explores Realabilities, a video-based children’s television program featuring unique characters, each with a distinct disability. Beyond utilizing video technology...

Benefits of Video and Eye Toy Gaming for Children with Autism

The purpose of this chapter is to illustrate how video games, which incorporate eye toy technology, can be utilized to teach social learning to children with autism directly...