Nava R. Silton

Nava R. Silton , Ph.D. is a Developmental Psychologist with a B.S. from Cornell University and an M.A. and Ph.D. from Fordham University. She is a Full Professor at Marymount Manhattan College, where she teaches classes in Child Development, Cognition, Personality, Creativity, Children’s Media and has won numerous Teaching, Research and Advising Awards. She has worked at Nickelodeon, Sesame Workshop and has consulted for Disney, Netflix, Apple, Blue’s Clues & You, 9Story Media Group and The Autism Seaver Center. She also serves as a Developmental Psychologist for Gan Aliya and Manhattan Day School. She has appeared over 150 times on Fox 5 News as a Parenting and Developmental Expert, and has appeared on Good Day New York, Good Day Street Talk and NBC. Silton has written over 36 peer-reviewed journal articles, over 20 chapters, book reviews and encyclopedia entries and has edited seven full textbooks, and this is her eighth. Her first two books discuss innovative technologies for individuals with autism and other disabilities, her third delves into creativity, her fourth into family dynamics and romantic relationships, her fifth explores the constructs of happiness, gratitude, kindness, empathy and well-being, her sixth text discusses best parenting and child development practices for the 21st century, her seventh discusses the impact of COVID-19 on children, adolescents and adults and her eighth discusses the benefits of creative arts therapies for children, adolescents and adults. Silton also created The Realabilities Educational Comic Book Series ( ), which offers 18 comics (12 on disabilities and 6 on mental health disorders) and two instructional manuals for use in classrooms across the world. The disabilities-based series, which received The Reader’s Favorite Award and was a Page Turner Awardee has now been translated into Hebrew and Spanish and is currently being translated into Chinese and French, as well. Due to the popularity of The Realabilities Educational Series in the schools, Silton created Addy & Uno, The First Family Musical about Disabilities, Bullying and Kindness. Addy & Uno, which was nominated for an Off-Broadway Alliance Award, ran Off-Broadway for over 18 months at Theatre Row on 42nd Street in Manhattan ( ) and is now being developed by the Jim Henson Company for TV. She also is developing another show with LeVar Burton Entertainment. In addition, Silton created a Child Development and Parenting Podcast, entitled A Cup of Java with Dr. Nava. She also created Bashert, , a brand-new card game which helps individuals connect and forge meaningful relationships with others. Finally, Nava recently penned four feature screenplays, Pure, The Prof, Jackpot and Toycoon. All four screenplays have already achieved significant recognition (Finalist, Semifinalist and Quarterfinalist designations) in over twenty screenplay contests. Most recently, Silton was identified as one of the Top 50 screenwriters on the ISA Fellowship slate. Silton is married to Dr. Ariel Brandwein and has five children; three boys and two little girls.

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...