About Me.
I have been a licensed psychologist and Nationally Certified School Psychologist for approximately 15 years. For most of my career, I have worked at the University of Georgia Regents' Center for Learning Disorders. There, I have assessed hundreds of individuals suspected of various learning, attention, and other neurodevelopmental concerns. I have worked with individuals from many age groups, ranging from preschool to adulthood. I have extensive experience working with schools to help find the best ways for students to be successful.
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I have also had the unique opportunity to conduct original research on neurodevelopmental conditions. I have published over 50 studies in scientific journals. Some topics I have published on include ADHD, dyslexia, autism, and giftedness (see below for a list of my publications). I have also served on the editorial boards of multiple scientific journals. Because of my research background, I try to use the strongest scientific findings to guide my evaluations. I also strive to make recommendations for treatments and interventions that have been shown by research to be most effective.
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I completed my bachelor’s degree in psychology at Michigan State University. After completing my undergraduate education, I worked at an inpatient child and adolescent psychiatric hospital. There, I quickly realized I had a lot more to learn, so I decided to pursue a doctoral degree in psychology. I was awarded the Chancellor’s Fellowship to study at Indiana University. I earned my doctoral degree from Indiana University’s American Psychological Association-accredited school psychology program. During my doctoral studies, I helped direct a program for children with dyslexia. I completed an American Psychological Association-accredited doctoral internship at Virginia Beach City Public Schools. As a doctoral intern within a public school system, I worked closely with school staff to find the best ways to help children with learning disorders be successful in school. I was also a member of the preschool assessment team and the program for identifying gifted children. After completing my internship, I worked as a professor of psychology but decided I liked practicing psychology more than teaching psychology. I moved to Athens and completed my postdoctoral internship at the University of Georgia Regents’ for Learning Disorders. I have stayed ever since and live in the Athens area with my wife and two sons.
Publications
Lovett, B. J., Nelson, J. M., & Jordan, A. H. (2024). Should patients be evaluated for ADHD while using ADHD medication? Professional Psychology: Research and Practice. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1037/pro000055
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Nelson, J. M., & Lovett, B. J. (2023). Sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT), comorbid psychopathology, and functional impairment in college students: The utility of SCT subfactors. Journal of Attention Disorders, 27(3). doi: 10.1177/1087054722114248
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Lovett, B. J., Fitzpatrick, K., Schaberg, T. M., & Nelson, J. M. (2023). School-based interventions and accommodations for ADHD. In J. L. Matson (Ed.), Clinical Handbook of ADHD Assessment and Treatment Across the Lifespan (pp. 451-467). Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-41709-2_17
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Lisboa, B. O., Caye, A., Hernandes, A. M., da Silva, A. G., Rieder, C. R. M., Sonuga-Barke, E., Kestelman, I., Nelson, J. M., Siqueria Castano, M. I., Fonseca, R. P., Hinshaw, S. P., & Rohde, L. A. (2023). When should a university student be allowed academic accommodations for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder? A position statement for a unified procedure for use in Brazil. Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry, 45(4), 373-378. doi: 10.47626/1516-4446-2002-2999
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Lovett, B. J., & Nelson, J. M. (2021). Systematic review: Educational accommodations for children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 60(4), 448-457. doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2020.07.891
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Lindstrom, W., Nelson, J. M., & Foels, P. A. (2020). Postsecondary ADHD and deliberate practice: Study time, study quality, and self-perceptions. Psychology in the Schools, 57(1), 44-61. doi: 10.1002/pits.22316
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Nelson, J. M., Lindstrom, W., Foels, P. A., Lamkin, J., & Dwyer, L. (2019). Validation of curriculum-based reading passages and comparison of college students with and without dyslexia or ADHD. Annals of Dyslexia, 69(3), 297-317. doi: 10.1007/s11881-019-00183-9
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Lovett, B. J., & Nelson, J. M. (2020). Assessment in educational settings. In M. Sellbom & J. Suhr (Eds.), The Cambridge Handbook of Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis (pp. 485-497). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
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Nelson, J. M., & Lovett, B. J. (2019). Assessing ADHD in college students: Integrating multiple evidence sources with symptom and performance validity data. Psychological Assessment, 31(6), 793-804. doi: 10.1037/pas0000702
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Nelson, J. M., Whipple, B., Lindstrom, W., & Foels, P. (2019). How is ADHD assessed and documented?: Examination of psychological reports submitted to determine eligibility for postsecondary disability. Journal of Attention Disorders, 23(14), 1780-191. doi: 10.1177/1087054714561860
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Gregg, N., & Nelson, J. M. (2018). Empirical studies on the writing abilities of adolescents and adults with learning difficulties. In B. Miller, P. McCardle, & V. Connelly (Eds.), Writing Development in Struggling Learners: Understanding the Needs of Writers across the Lifecourse (pp. 73-95). Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill.
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Lovett, B. J., & Nelson, J. M. (2018). Assessing adults for ADHD: A systematic, evidence-based protocol. Journal of Health Service Psychology, 44, 48-52.
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Nelson, J. M., & Liebel, S. W. (2018). Anxiety and depression among college students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): Cross-informant, gender, and subtype differences. Journal of American College Health, 66(2), 123-132. doi: 10.1080/07448481.2017.1382499
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Nelson, J. M. & Liebel, S. W. (2018). Socially desirable responding and college students with dyslexia: Implications for the assessment of anxiety and depression, Dyslexia, 24(1), 44-58. doi: 10.1002/dys.1563
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Liebel, S. W., & Nelson, J. M. (2017). Auditory and visual working memory functioning in college students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and/or learning disabilities. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 32(8), 980-991. doi: 10.1093/arclin/acx014
Lovett, B. J., & Nelson, J. M. (2017). Test anxiety and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 28(2), 99-108. doi: 10.1177/1044207317710699
Whipple, B., & Nelson, J. M. (2016). Naming speed of adolescents and young adults with ADHD: Differences in alphanumeric versus color/object naming. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 31(1), 66-78. doi: 10.1093/arclin/acv061
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Nelson, J. M. (2015). Examination of the double-deficit hypothesis with adolescents and young adults with dyslexia. Annals of Dyslexia, 65(3), 159-177. doi: 10.1007/s11881-015-0105-z
Nelson, J. M., Lovett, B., & Lindstrom, W. (2015). Assessing, documenting, and accommodating ADHD in college students. The ADHD Report, 23(6), 7-11. doi: 10.1521/adhd.2015.23.6.7
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Lovett, B., Nelson, J. M., & Lindstrom, W. (2015). Documenting hidden disabilities in higher education: Analysis of recent guidance from the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD). Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 26(1), 44-53. doi: 10.1177/1044207314533383
Nelson, J. M., Lindstrom, W., & Foels, P. (2015). Test anxiety among college students with specific reading disability (dyslexia): Nonverbal ability and working memory as predictors. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 48(4), 422-432. doi: 10.1177/0022219413507604
Lindstrom, W., Nelson, J. M., & Foels, P. (2015). Postsecondary ADHD documentation requirements: Common practices in the context of clinical issues, legal standards, and empirical findings. Journal of Attention Disorders, 19(8), 655-665. doi: 10.1177/1087054713506262
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Nelson, J. M., Lindstrom, W., & Foels, P. (2014). Test anxiety and college students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 32(6), 548-557. doi: 10.1177/0734282914521978
Nelson, J. M., Canivez, G. L., & Watkins, M. (2013). Structural and incremental validity of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV) with a clinical sample. Psychological Assessment, 25(2), 618-630. doi: 10.1037/a0032086
Nelson, J. M. (2013). Self-concept of college students with ADHD: Discordance between self- and parent-reports. Journal of Attention Disorders, 17(2), 163-170. doi: 10.1177/1087054711430331
Nelson, J. M. (2012). General and domain-specific self-concepts of adults with learning disabilities: A meta-analysis. Learning Disabilities: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 18(2), 61-70.
Nelson, J. M., & Canivez, G. L. (2012). Examination of the structural, convergent, and incremental validity of the Reynolds Intellectual Assessment Scales (RIAS) with a clinical sample. Psychological Assessment, 24(1), 129-140. doi: 10.1037/a0024878
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Nelson, J. M., & Gregg, N. (2012). Depression and anxiety among transitioning adolescents and college students with ADHD, dyslexia, and comorbid ADHD/dyslexia. Journal of Attention Disorders, 16(3), 244-254. doi: 10.1177/1087054710385783
Nelson, J. M., Lindstrom, J. H., Lindstrom, W., & Denis, D. V. (2012). The structure of phonological processing and its relationship to basic reading. Exceptionality, 20(3), 179-196. doi: 10.1080/09362835.2012.694612
Gregg, N., & Nelson, J. M. (2012). Meta-analysis on the effectiveness of extra time as a test accommodation for transitioning adolescents with learning disabilities: More questions than answers. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 45(2), 128-138. doi: 10.1177/0022219409355484
Nelson, J. M., & Harwood, H. (2011). A meta-analysis of parent and teacher reports of depression among students with learning disabilities: Evidence of the importance of multi-informant assessment. Psychology in the Schools, 48(4), 371-384. doi: 10.1002/pits.20560
Nelson, J. M., & Harwood, H. (2011). Learning disabilities and anxiety: A meta-analysis. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 44(1), 3-17. doi: 10.1177/0022219409359939
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Coleman, C., Lindstrom, J., Nelson, J. M., Lindstrom, W., & Gregg, N. (2010). Passageless comprehension of the Nelson-Denny Reading Test: Well above chance for university students. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 43(3), 244-249. doi: 10.1177/0022219409345017
Machek, G. R., & Nelson, J. M. (2010). School psychologists’ perceptions regarding the practice of identifying reading disabilities: Cognitive assessment and response to intervention (RTI) considerations. Psychology in the Schools, 47(3), 230-245. doi: 10.1002/pits.20467
Lindstrom, W., Lindstrom, J., Coleman, C., Nelson, J. M., & Gregg, N. (2009). The diagnostic accuracy of symptom validity tests when used with postsecondary students with learning disabilities: A preliminary investigation. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 24(7), 659-669. doi: 10.1093/arclin/acp071
Nelson, J. M. (2009). Psychometric properties of the Texas Primary Reading Inventory for early reading screening in kindergarten. Assessment for Effective Intervention, 35(1), 45-53. doi: 10.1177/1534508408326205
Rinn, A. N., & Nelson, J. M. (2009). Pre-service teachers’ perceptions of behaviors characteristic of ADHD and giftedness. Roeper Review, 31(1), 18-26. doi: 10.1080/02783190802527349
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Nelson, J. M. (2008). Beyond correlational analysis of the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills: A classification validity study. School Psychology Quarterly, 23(4), 542-552. doi: 10.1037/a0013245
Nelson, J. M. (2008). Psychometric evaluation of the Mountain Shadows Phonemic Awareness Scale with a kindergarten sample. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 26(3), 287-298. doi: 10.1177/0734282907306048
Manset-Williamson, G., Dunn, M., Hinshaw, R., & Nelson, J. M. (2008). The impact of self-questioning strategy use on the text-reader assisted comprehension of students with reading disabilities. International Journal of Special Education, 23(1), 123-135.
Nelson, J. M., Canivez, G. L., Lindstrom, W., & Hatt, C. V. (2007). Higher-order exploratory factor analysis of the Reynolds Intellectual Assessment Scales with a referred sample. Journal of School Psychology, 45(4), 439-456. doi: 10.1016/j.jsp.2007.03.003
Machek, G. R., & Nelson, J. M. (2007). How should reading disabilities be operationalized?: A national survey of school psychologists. Learning Disabilities Research and Practice, 22(2), 147-157. doi: 10.1111/j.1540-5826.2007.00239x
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Nelson, J. M., & Machek, G. R. (2007). A survey of training, practice, and competence in reading assessment and intervention. School Psychology Review, 36(2), 311-327.
Stowell, J. R., & Nelson, J. M. (2007). Benefits of electronic audience response systems on student participation, learning, and emotion. Teaching of Psychology, 34, 253-258.
Nelson, J. M., Rinn, A. N., & Hartnett, D. N. (2006). The possibility of misdiagnosis of giftedness and ADHD still exists: A response to Mika. Roeper Review, 28(4), 243-248. doi: 10.1080/02783190609554371
Nelson, J. M., & Manset-Williamson, G. (2006). The impact of explicit, self-regulatory reading comprehension instruction on the reading-specific self-efficacy, attributions, and affect of students with reading disabilities. Learning Disability Quarterly, 29(3), 213-230. doi: 10.2307.30035507
Elder-Hinshaw, R., Manset-Williamson, G., Nelson, J. M., & Dunn, M. W. (2006). Engaging older students with reading disabilities: Multimedia inquiry projects supported by reading assistive technology. Teaching Exceptional Children, 39(1), 6-11.
Manset-Williamson, G., & Nelson, J. M. (2005). Balanced, strategic reading instruction for upper elementary and middle school students with reading disabilities: A comparative study of two approaches. Learning Disability Quarterly, 28(1), 59-74. doi: 10.2307.4126973
Lantz, J. F., Nelson, J. M., & Loftin, R. L. (2004). Guiding children with autism in play: Applying the integrated play group model in school settings. Teaching Exceptional Children, 37(2), 8-15. doi: 10.1177/004005990403700201
Hartnett, D. N., Nelson, J. M., & Rinn, A. N. (2004). Gifted or ADHD? The possibilities of misdiagnosis. Roeper Review, 26(2), 73-76.
Cummings, J. A., Hoida, J., Machek, G. R., & Nelson, J. M. (2003). Visual-
motor assessment of children. In C. R. Reynolds & R. W. Kamphaus (Eds.) Handbook of psychological & educational assessment: Intelligence & achievement (2nd ed., pp.498-518). New York: Guilford.
Summers, J. A., Gavin, K. M., Purnell, T., Collins, A., & Nelson, J. M. (2003). Families with learners with exceptionalities. In F. E. Obiakor, C. A. Utley, & A. F. Rotatori (Eds.). Advances in special education: Psychology of effective education for learners with exceptionalities. Stamford, CT: Jai Press.
Education
1992-1997
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI
BA, Psychology, summa cum laude
2000-2002
Indiana University
Bloomington, IN
MS, Educational Psychology
2000-2005
Indiana University
Bloomington, IN
PhD, School Psychology