Prospectus

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Child Neuropsychology: Theory and Assessment of Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Course
2017-2018

Entry requirements

Open for MSc Psychology students. For students from other specialisations than the master’s specialisation Clinical Neuropsychology, prior knowledge from an advanced bachelor course in clinical neuropsychology is strongly recommended.

Description

This course provides the theoretical foundation for neuropsychological assessment and treatment of children and adolescents, through a consideration of views and theories related to neurodevelopmental conditions. This course aims to provide an understanding of the neurological and neuropsychological characteristics associated with various conditions. The impact on cognitive, emotional, behavioural, academic, social functioning and family will be discussed. Additionally, it addresses topics related to neuropsychological assessment, from a developmental perspective.

The course involves 7 lectures addressing the following topics:

  • General introduction into child neuropsychology

  • ADHD

  • Autism spectrum disorders

  • Epilepsy

  • Learning problems

  • Preterm birth

  • Traumatic brain injury

In the book other topics are discussed as well, such as foetal alcohol spectrum disorders or specific language impairment.

Course objectives

On completion of this course students have obtained a detailed understanding of:

  • core issues in child neuropsychology

  • the neurological and neuropsychological characteristics associated with various neurodevelopmental conditions

  • the impact these conditions can have on cognitive, emotional, behavioural, academic, social and family functioning

Having sufficient knowledge and understanding of the abovementioned topics provides an important foundation for a career in child neuropsychology. In order to administer proper neuropsychological assessments and provide the necessary neuropsychological interventions, one needs to know what a certain condition entails and how that affects the development of a child. Only then one is able to determine what to assess and what to treat. This course aims to provide students with this fundamental knowledge.

Timetable

For the timetables of your lectures, work groups and exams, please select your study programme in:
Psychology timetables

Lectures Exam

Registration

Course

Students need to enroll for lectures and work group sessions.
Master’s course registration

Examination

Students are not automatically enrolled for an examination. They can register via uSis from 100 to 10 calendar days before the date. Students who are not registered will not be permitted to take the examination.
Registering for exams

Mode of instruction

The course consists of 7 mandatory 2-hour lectures. There will be no weblectures for this course.

Assessment method

The final grade is fully (100%) based on a written exam, consisting of both multiple-choice and open questions. The exam material concerns most chapters of the book ‘Pediatric Neuropsychology’, as well as the lecture slides.

The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences has instituted that instructors use a software programme for the systematic detection of plagiarism in students’ written work. In case of fraud disciplinary actions will be taken. Please see the information concerning fraud.

Reading list

  • Keith Owen Yeates, M. Douglas Ris, H. Gerry Taylor & Bruce F. Pennington. Pediatric Neuropsychology, second edition (2010) The Guilford Press. ISBN: 978-1-60623-465-5.

Contact information

Janice Sandjojo, MSc
j.sandjojo@fsw.leidenuniv.nl