People

James Houseworth

Graduate Faculty, Evaluation Studies
Research Associate, Institute for Community Integration

Dr. Houseworth is a Research Associate at the Institute on Community Integration.

PhD, University of Minnesota, Educational Psychology
MA, University of Minnesota, Educational Psychology
MEd, DePaul University, Secondary Education
BA, University of Arizona, Political Science

Assessing Outcomes for Individual with Intellectual Disabilities
Mathematical Cogntion/Probabilistic Reasoning
Individual Differences
Advanced Statistical Methods (Regression, HLM, ANOVA, SEM, etc.)
Statistical Software (R, SPSS, Excel)

Dr. Houseworth received his Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Minnesota in 2016. As a Research Associate at the Institute on Community Integration, he has used both quantitative and qualitative methods, primarily to understand quality-of-life concerns among people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Dr. Houseworth is also Check & Connect's (C&C) Director of Research and Evaluation. In this role, he is responsible for monitoring C&C's fidelity and effectiveness while it is used in multiple states and internationally. One novel application of the C&C intervention he oversaw was its successful implementation at Central Lakes College in Brainerd, MN. Students in the mentoring program were randomly matched with students not in the program based on incoming GPA, admissions scores, race, age, and gender for comparisons. Overall, the most significant finding of this evaluation was that C&C mentoring was effective in helping students earn more credits than their peers and was associated with higher GPAs for Liberal Arts students. These results demonstrate that this mentoring program can be adapted for use in post-secondary settings, improving performance and leading to successful program completion.

PUBLICATIONS

Houseworth, J., Tichá, R., Stancliffe, R. J., Pettingell, S. L., & Bershadsky, J. (2026). Exploring quality of life in individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities: an analysis of research studies using the National Core Indicators In‐Person Survey (NCI‐IPS) Data. Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 23(1), e70043.

Houseworth, J., Anderson, L. L., & Riegelman, A. (2026). Improving health literacy among adults with intellectual disability: a scoping review of clinical communication Interventions. Inclusion, 1-13.

Stancliffe, R. J., Wu, Y. C., Ticha, R., Pettingell, S. L., & Houseworth, J. (2025). Change in US self-directed funding prevalence for adults with intellectual disability: A multi-state, decade-long comparison. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 1-16.

Tichá, R., Pettingell, S. L., Houseworth, J., Bershadsky, J., Stancliffe, R. J., & Smith, J. G. (2025). Trends in privacy of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities before and after the Home and Community-Based Services Final Rule. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 35(4), 258-267.

Houseworth, J., Tichá, R., Pettingell, S. L., Stancliffe, R. J., & Bershadsky, J. (2024). Transitional challenges: Psychotropic medication and residential setting among young adults with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 21(3), e12521.

Houseworth, J., Gallus, K. L., Greene, T., Erickson, S. R., Jones, J. L., & Vegas, L. (2023). State oversight of polypharmacy and psychotropic medication use among individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities: a three state case study. Developmental Disabilities Network Journal, 3(2), 9.

Stancliffe, R. J., Pettingell, S. L., Houseworth, J., & Tichá, R. (2023). Participation and companions for socially inclusive community activities by U.S. adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 61(4), 326-344.

Stancliffe, R. J., Tichá, R., Pettingell, S. L., Houseworth, J., & Bershadsky, J. (2023). Current services and outcomes of formerly-institutionalized and never-institutionalized US adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities: A propensity score matching analysis. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities. https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.13103 Published open access.

Tichá, R., Pettingell, S. L., Lemanowicz, J., Feinstein, C. S., Bershadsky, J., Houseworth, J., & Zhang, A. Q. (2023). Using the independent monitoring for quality program to examine longitudinal outcomes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Intellectual and developmental disabilities, 61(3), 238-249.

Houseworth, J., Pettingell, S. L., Bershadsky, J., Tichá, R., Lemanowicz, J., Feinstein, C., & Zhang, A. (2023). Examining choice and control for people with IDD over time. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 128(6), 449-461.

Houseworth, J., Feinstein, C., Pettingell, S. L., Bershadsky, J., Tichá, R., Lemanowicz, J., & Zhang, A. (2024). Using the independent monitoring for quality (IM4Q) program to examine employment in integrated settings in the community for people with IDD over time. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 60(1), 27-37.

Houseworth, J., Kilaberia, T., Ticha, R., & Abery, B. (2022). Risk Adjustment in Home and Community Based Services Outcome Measurement. Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences, 3, 830175.

Houseworth, J., Pettingell, S. L., Stancliffe, R. J., Bershadsky, J., Tichá, R., & Zhang, A. (2022). Community employment, facility-based work, and day activities for working age people with intellectual and developmental disability. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, (Preprint), 1-16.

Erickson, S., Houseworth, J., & Esler, A. (2022). Factors associated with use of medication for behavioral challenges in adults with intellectual and developmental disability, Research in Developmental Disabilities, 123.

Stancliffe, R. J., Pettingell, S., Tichá, R., & Houseworth, J. (2022). Mothers and fathers with intellectual and developmental disabilities who use United States disability services: Prevalence and living arrangements, Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 66(3), 297-305.

Grier-Reed, T., Maples, A., Houseworth, J., & Ajayi, A. (2023). Posttraumatic growth and flourishing in the face of racial trauma. Psychological trauma: Theory, research, practice, and policy, 15(1), 37.

Pettingell SL., Houseworth J., Ticha R., Kramme JED., & Hewitt AS. (2022). Incentives, wages, and retention among direct support professionals: National Indicators Staff Stability Survey. Intellectual and Development Disabilities, 60(2), 113-127.

Erickson, S., Jones, J., Gallus, K., Esler, A., & Houseworth, J. (2021). Potential Drug Interactions in Medication Regimens of Adults who have Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 1-34

Grier-Reed, T., Houseworth, J., Moody, J., & Quiñones, M. (2021). Tipping point: Perceptions of diversity in black and white. Education Sciences, 11(5), 241.

Diehl, D., Houseworth, J., & Grier-Reed, T. (2020). Examining the variable relationship between race and considerations of campus withdrawal. College Student Journal, 53(4), 417-429.

Houseworth, J., Pettingell, S.,. Kramme, J., Tichá, R.,. Hewitt, A. (2020). Predictors of annual and early turnover among direct support professionals: National Core Indicators Staff Stability Survey. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 58(3), 192-207.

Martin, J., Houseworth, J., & Legostaeva, A. (2019). Housing Options: Institutional vs. Home and Community-Based Permanent Living Arrangements. Handbook on Community Living and Employment, 37.

Esler, A., Hewitt, A., Hall-Lande, J., Pettingell, S., & Houseworth, J. (2019). Psychotropic medication use for adults with autism spectrum disorder who receive services and supports through adult developmental disability services in the United States. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49 (6), 2291-2303.

Houseworth, J., Stancliffe, R. J., & Tichá, R. (2019). Examining the national core indicators’ potential to monitor legal and human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities according to the CRPD. Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 16 (4), 342-351.

Branson, C., Houseworth, J., & Chipman, J. (2018). Communication deficits among surgical residents during difficult patient family conversations. Journal of Surgical Education, 76 (1), 158-164.

Houseworth, J., Stancliffe, R. J., & Tichá, R. (2018). Association of state-level and individual-level factors with choice making of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 83, 77-90.

Grier-Reed, T., Houseworth, J., & Diehl, D. (2017). Breaking down walls and building bridges: A study of cross-racial interactions across predominantly White campuses. Journal Committed to Social Change on Race and Ethnicity, 3(2), 1- 23. https://www.ncore.ou.edu/en/jcscore-copy/jcscore-fall-2017/

Jitendra, A. K., Nelson, G., Pulles, S. M., Kiss, A. J., & Houseworth, J. (2016). Is mathematical representation of problems an evidence-based strategy for students with mathematics difficulties? Exceptional Children, 83(1), 8-25.

PRESENTATIONS

Ticha, R., Houseworth, J., Lahti Anderson, L., & Stancliffe, R. (2023, March). Secondary analysis of National Core Indicators (NCI) data: Examining services and outcomes of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. [Presentation]. Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain.

Houseworth, J., Feinstein, C. S., Pettingell, S., & Lemanowicz, J. (2023, June). Employment Changes in Pennsylvania: The Implications of New Policy. [Poster]. The American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities 144th Annual Meeting, Pittsburgh, PA.

Feinstein, C., Winsor, J., Bradley, V., Houseworth, J., Pettingell, S., & Ticha, R. (2023, June). Employment of People with IDD: Current Reality and Future Challenges. [Poster]. The American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities 144th Annual Meeting, Pittsburgh, PA.

Houseworth, J., Pettingell, S., Stancliffe, R., Bershadsky, J., Ticha, R., & Zhang, A. (2022, June) Day and employment participation among IDD services users: factors contributing to paid and community-based activities. Concurrent session at the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities 143rd Annual Meeting, Jacksonville, Florida.

Stancliffe, R. J., Pettingell, S.L., Houseworth, J., & Tichá, R. (2022, June). Socially-inclusive community participation: community groups and religious services. Paper presented online to the 2022 AAIDD Annual Meeting, Jacksonville, FL, USA.

Stancliffe, R. J., Pettingell, S.L., Bershadsky, J., Houseworth, J., & Tichá, R. (2022, June). Community participation and choosing to stay home if you want. Poster presented at the 2022 AAIDD Annual Meeting, Jacksonville, FL, USA.

Houseworth, J., Erickson, S., & Esler, A. (2019, June) Individual and Contextual Determinants Associated with Use of Psychotropic Medication in Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Poster presented at the 143rd Annual Meeting of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Twin Cities, MN.

Quillien, J.B., Roberts, M., Houseworth, J., Pomponio, A., Slug, L., Tichá, R., & Abery, B. (2019, June). Assisting Individuals with Intellectual Disability Understand Survey Items: Do Emojis Help Participants Express Themselves? Poster presented at the 143rd Annual Meeting of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Twin Cities, MN.

Houseworth, J., Tichá, R., & Stancliffe, R. (2018, April) State and individual differences in choice-making among individuals with IDD: familial contexts matter. Poster presented at the 51st Annual Gatlinburg Conference on Research and Theory in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, San Diego, CA.

Houseworth, J., Im, S., & Patel, P. (2017, July) The relations between Bayesian reasoning, base rate sensitivity, and rational number ability. Poster presented at the 5th Annual Meeting on Mathematical Thinking, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.

Houseworth, J. & Varma, S. (2016, May). Rational number fluency predicts mathematicalachievement. Poster to presented at the 28th Annual Convention of the Association for Psychological Science, Chicago, IL.

Jitendra, A. K., Nelson, G., Pulles, S. M., Kiss, A. J., & Houseworth, J. (2016, April)Is mathematical representation of problems an evidence-based strategy for students at-risk for mathematics difficulties? Paper presented at the Annual Convention for the Council for Exceptional Children, St. Louis, MO.

Houseworth, J. (2015, August) Adult rational number comprehension and adults: fractions as mathematical hurdles to broader mathematical ability, Poster presented at the 3rd Annual Meeting on Mathematical Thinking, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

Houseworth, J. (2015, April). Probability matching: exploring mathematical simplification in uncertain contexts. In M. Alibali, (Chair), The bright side of uncertainty, variability, forgetting, and bias: re-thinking the cognitive processes involved in learning. Symposium conducted at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, IL.

Houseworth, J. (2014, July). Probabilistic reasoning: a model to guide inquiry and instruction. Poster presented at the 2nd Annual Meeting on Mathematical Thinking, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI.

Houseworth, J. (2013, February). Hypermatching: probability matching is driven by proportional reasoning. Paper presented at the 13th Annual Graduate Student Research Day, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.

Houseworth, J., & Varma, S. (2012, April). The dissociation between numerical and visuospatial estimation problem-solving. Poster presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Vancouver, BC.