Kerri Staples, Ph.D., C.A.P.E.

Contact

kstaples@twu.edu
940-898-2000
PH 208L

Biography

Dr. Kerri Staples is an Assistant Professor in the School of Health Promotion and Kinesiology at Texas Woman's University. She completed her graduate studies at McGill University, earning an M.A. in 2006 and a Ph.D. in 2010 in Kinesiology, specializing in Adapted Physical Activity. Dr. Staples also completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Michigan in the Center on Physical Activity and Health in Pediatric Disabilities.

Her research is focused primarily on the acquisition of fundamental motor skills and the relationships among motor competence, physical activity, physical fitness, and quality of life to inform intervention practices and promote positive trajectories of health among children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and their families. In addition to research, Dr. Staples recognizes the importance of building capacity in the community and serves on the Board of Directors for the Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Council of Tarrant County. She is also a Certified Trainer for Road to Recover: Trauma-Informed Care for Children with Intellectual Disability who have Experienced Trauma.

Education

Ph.D., Kinesiology (Adapted Physical Activity), McGill University, Montreal, QC CANADA
M.A., Kinesiology (Adapted Physical Activity), McGill University, Montreal, QC CANADA
B.Sc., Kinesiology (Exercise and Sport Studies), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK CANADA

Research Interests

Motor Development; Adapted Physical Activity; Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD); Health Promotion; Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities; Motor Skill Competence; Intervention; Health Disparities

Latest Articles

Promoting positive health outcomes in an urban community-based physical activity intervention for preschool aged children on the autism spectrum
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders (2023)
L. R. Ketcheson, K. L. Staples, E. A. Pitchford, F. Loetzner

Supporting the need for the motor domain to be included in the definition of ASD: A response to Bishop et al.'s critique of Bhat 2021
Autism Research (2022)
L. R. Ketcheson, K. L. Staples, E. A. Pitchford, M. MacDonald, D. A. Ulrich

MYTime: A mindfulness and yoga program to promote health outcomes in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder
Global Advances in Health and Medicine (2022)
L. R. Ketcheson, C. M. Wengrovius, K. L. Staples, N. Miodrag

The instructional sensitivity of the TGMD-3 to detect changes in performance for young children with and without Down syndrome
Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly (2021)
K. L. Staples, E. A. Pitchford, D. A. Ulrich

The role of physical activity in improving physical fitness in children with intellectual and developmental disabilities
Research in Developmental Disabilities (2017)
K. Collins, K. L. Staples

Externally Funded Projects

Determining intervention targets to promote positive trajectories of health for children with autism spectrum disorder
Organization for Autism Research | $30,000.00 | 2019
Role: Principal Investigator

Inclusive movement opportunities for children with autism spectrum disorder
Autism Speaks Canada | $25,000.00 | 2015
Role: Principal Investigator

Internally Funded Projects

Identifying factors that influence health in autism across early and middle childhood
Texas Woman's University - Woodcock Institute | $15,000.00 | 2023
Research Grant

Professional Affiliations

• Healthy Weight Research Network (HWRN)
• International Federation of Adapted Physical Activity (IFAPA)
• International Motor Development Research Consortium (I-MDRC)
• International Society for Autism Research (INSAR)
• North American Federation of Adapted Physical Activity (NAFAPA)
• North American Society for Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity (NASPSPA)