TEAM MEMBERS
Marie-Michèle Dufour
Associate professor
Director
Marie-Michèle is a psychoeducator and associate professor at the School of Psychoeducation at the University of Montreal. For over 15 years, she has been conducting research projects on autism and intellectual disability, with the primary mission of ensuring the well-being of individuals and the quality of care provided.
Claudiane Coutu Arbour
Doctoral (Ph.D.) student in psychoeducation
Claudiane Coutu Arbour is a psychoeducator and doctoral student in psychoeducation at the University of Montreal. With her experience in intervention dating back to 2007, she now works in private practice, supporting individuals who identify as neurodiverse or who experience anxiety. She is also interested in creating tools, training programs, and projects to support family members and professionals in their roles. Her professional and research interests focus on psychological health in the workplace and improving the quality of life for both staff and residents in specialized settings. Her doctoral project examines the alignment between organizational resources and the needs of direct support workers in specialized intervention settings for severe behavioral disorders. Claudiane also contributes to continuing education and professional development. She teaches as a lecturer at the Faculty of Continuing Learning at the University of Montreal and leads workshops and conferences on autism, prevention of challenging behaviours, and intervention in respite or day camp settings.
Andrée-Anne Lachapelle
Doctoral (Ph.D.) student in psychoeducation
Andrée-Anne holds a bachelor's degree in psychology and a graduate diploma in behavioral intervention for autistic people. As a doctoral student in psychoeducation at the University of Montreal, her research aims to understand the perceptions of adolescents and young adults who received intensive behavioral intervention in preschool, as well as those of their families. Andrée-Anne is a proud recipient of a doctoral research grant from the Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ), Société et culture. She has been working in research since 2019 and is interested in the realities of autistic people and/or those with intellectual disabilities, their well-being, and the implementation of inclusive and participatory interventions.
Articles
Lachapelle, A.-A., Dufour, M-M., Martin, V., et Dubé, J. (2025). Réalités et enjeux des hommes travaillant en résidence à assistance continue (RAC) avec des personnes autistes et/ou ayant une déficience intellectuelle. Journal on Developmental Disabilities [En révision]
Presentations
Lachapelle, A.-A., Marchand-Pellerin, C., Abouzeid, N., Mckinnon, S., Rousseau, M., Bourassa, J., Dufour, M.-M., Bourque, M, et Ménard, P. (2025, 2 octobre). #Cyberfuté : Développement d’un programme d’intervention visant inclusion numérique d’adultes ayant une déficience intellectuelle [Présentation orale]. Le Grand Rendez-vous de la Déficience intellectuelle par la Société québécoise de la déficience intellectuelle (SQDI), Sherbrooke, QC, Canada.
Lachapelle, A.-A., Abouzeid, N., Mckinnon, S., Rousseau, M., & Bourassa, J. (2025, Mai 5-9). Vers une meilleure trajectoire de services pour les enfants autistes et leur famille : étude pilote sur l'intégration du Rapid Interactive Screening Test for Autism in Toddlers [Présentation orale]. Colloque #456 : La recherche à « l’éco » des personnes autistes ou avec une déficience intellectuelle : perspectives écosystémiques et développementales au Congrès de l’ACFAS 2025 92e édition, Montréal, QC, Canada.
Lachapelle, A.-A., Kutlesa, K., Moore, C., Coutu Arbour, C., & Dufour, M.-M. (2025, avril). Le trauma et l’autisme : à la croisée de la science et du vécu des personnes autistes [Présentation orale]. Journée annuelle 2025 du Réseau national d’expertise en trouble du spectre de l’autisme (RNETSA), Montréal, QC, Canada.
Specialisation thesis
Lachapelle, A-A. (2021). Évaluation du Rapid Interactive Screening Test for Autism in Toddler, un outil de dépistage novateur et précoce pour le trouble du spectre de l’autisme [thèse d’honneur, Université du Québec à Montréal]. https://psychologie.uqam.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/73/2021/05/Andre%CC%81e-Anne-Lachapelle_3038986_assignsubmission_file_LACA17539909_Rapportfinal.pdf
Iris Martinez
Doctoral (Ph.D.) student in cognitive computing
Due to her diverse interests, Iris explored several career paths before embarking on research. She has worked as an editor, author, and programmer. Language and what it can reveal about social dynamics fascinates her. Nowadays, she combines her interest in cognitive science and computer science by pursuing a PhD in cognitive computing at UQAM. More specifically, she is working to analyze how autistic and non-autistic people communicate, using non-generative AI tools. Her theoretical framework posits that misunderstandings between neurotypes do not stem from a deficiency in autistic people, but rather from a misalignment of communication styles. As an autistic person herself, Iris has also been involved in autism education projects and initiatives to amplify the voices of autistic people.
Articles
Larochelle-Guy, J., Martinez, I. & Dufour, M-M. (2025). Autistic people's perception of social camouflaging: Qualitative analysis of a web forum. Advances in Autism 2025. https://doi.org/10.1108/AIA-04-2025-0032
Presentations
Martinez, I. (2025, 4 avril). Camouflage : tour d'horizon, perception des personnes autistes et recommandations [présentation]. Journée annuelle du RNETSA. En ligne.
Posters
Martinez, I.*, Dufour, M-M., Lachapelle A-A., Martin, V. (2025, 23-24 avril). Ressources consenties aux milieux résidentiels pour les personnes autistes et/ou ayant une déficience intellectuelle - Conséquences sur le personnel et les résidents [affiche]. 3e symposium du GRAADA: Autisme et stigmatisation : comprendre et agir. En ligne.
Victoria Chagnon
Bachelor's student in psychoeducation
Victoria holds a bachelor's degree in psychoeducation and a major in psychology. Through diverse work experiences with individuals with autism spectrum disorder and their families, she developed a strong interest in this population. During her final year of undergraduate studies, she cultivated a growing interest in research through the completion of the honors track and her research assistant experiences. She is currently completing her first year of the direct entry doctoral program in psychoeducation, supervised by Marc Lanovaz and Marie-Michèle Dufour. Her research interests include autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, severe behavioral disorders, and artificial intelligence. Her dissertation will explore the prediction of challenging behaviors in individuals with autism spectrum disorder using a smartwatch. Victoria aspires to contribute to the well-being and support of individuals with autism spectrum disorder, their families, and professionals working with these individuals.
Hanaé Désautels
Master's student in psychoeducation
Hanaé is currently a master's student in psychoeducation, with internships and research. Her research project focuses on autistic people diagnosed later in life and how they integrate their diagnosis into their identity. Her interest in research developed during her Honors degree program at the end of her bachelor's degree and through her roles as a research assistant.
Jessica Cheung
Jessica has always been fascinated by human behavior and the link between the brain and daily functioning. After completing a bachelor's degree in psychology at the University of Montreal, she worked for several years in a neuropsychology laboratory. Wishing to move closer to intervention, she is currently beginning her first year of a master's degree in psychoeducation at UdeM. Her research project focuses on the psychological health of professionals working with autistic adults and/or adults with intellectual disabilities, a subject that particularly interests her due to the complex and human realities of this field. In parallel, Jessica is involved as a research assistant in a project on communication between autistic and non-autistic people, contributing to a better understanding of these interactions and enriching practices. Passionate about her field, she pursues her studies guided by her interest in people's lived experiences.
Master's student in psychoeducation
Hiba Brunet
Bachelor's student in psychoeducation
Naturally curious, Hiba has always enjoyed immersing herself in projects that prioritize human beings and their well-being. Throughout her years of practical experience in intervention, Hiba has supported young people with various adjustment and developmental disorders, as well as physical and intellectual disabilities. During her Honours Bachelor's degree, she studied indicators of psychological distress among different job categories of healthcare workers during the first two waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. For her Master's degree in Psychoeducation, she is undertaking a portrait of contemporary psychoeducational practice. The first part documents the approaches implemented in practice settings and identifies the factors influencing the choice of validated or unvalidated approaches. The second part assesses whether psychoeducators remain ethically congruent when posting on social media, evaluating the quality—specifically, the validity and reliability—of the content they share.
Lori Desrochers
Bachelor's student in psychoeducation
Curious and committed, Lori initially pursued studies in psychology before discovering that psychoeducation was a better fit for her interest in intervention and helping relationships. For the past five years, she has worked in one-on-one intervention at a respite center with children, adolescents, and adults with special needs. She has also provided support to young people living with ASD in their homes and worked in a residential setting for adults with ASD and/or intellectual disability (ID), which solidified her strong interest in this population. Currently a third-year Honors Bachelor of Psychoeducation student at the University of Montreal, Lori combines clinical practice with research. She worked as a research assistant on the Nexus project, an experience that reinforced her interest in research with individuals with ID and ASD and the professionals who support them. Her Honors project focuses on the psychological distress of staff working in residential settings for individuals with ID and ASD, based on their frequency of exposure to challenging behaviors. Through this project, she hopes to support a better understanding of the factors influencing the well-being of practitioners and to promote more humane and safe working conditions.
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