---

---

Course Prerequisites:  

•    Senior undergraduate or graduate course in Human Neuropsychology
•    An undergraduate or graduate course in Developmental Psychology or Cognitive Psychology is strongly recommended

---

Course Description:  

This course will cover the following topics with respect to spina bifida:
•    The biology of the disorder: genetics, neuropathology
•    Neurocognitive functioning: attention, memory, language and reading
•    Development of mathematical skills
•    Development in infancy and the preschool years
•    Cognitive and functional outcomes in adulthood
•    Psychosocial adjustment in children and adolescents
•    Cultural and social issues related to physical and intellectual disabilities

The course will provide students with a core knowledge base in the topics above.  The other aim of the course is to demonstrate how a neurodevelopmental disorder such as spina bifida can be used to test and inform models of typical and atypical development. This will be accomplished with specific reference to the development of mathematical skills and reading comprehension.

The format of the course will be lecture and discussion.
 
The assignment will involve an oral presentation of a research proposal based either on a topic covered in the curriculum or on a topic related to spina bifida and approved by the instructor. 


An outline of topics to be covered for each day of the course will be posted in January.



Barnes, M.A., Smith-Chant, B., & Landry, S. (in press). Number processing in neurodevelopmental disorders: spina bifida myelomeningocele. In J.I.D. Campbell (Ed.).  Handbook of Mathematical Cognition. New York: Psychology Press.

Dennis, M. (2000). Childhood medical disorders and cognitive impairment: Biological risk, time, development, and reserve. In Yeates KO, Ris MD, Taylor HG (eds) Pediatric neuropsychology: Research, theory and practice  (pp. 3-22). Guilford Press, 2000.

Fletcher, J., Barnes, MA., & Dennis, M. (2002).  Language development in children with spina bifida. Seminars in Pediatric Neurology, 9, 201-208

Fletcher, J. M., Dennis, M., Northrup, H., Barnes, M. A., Hannay, H. J., Landry, S. H., Copeland, K., Blaser, S. E., Kramer, L. A., Brandt, M. E., & Francis, D. J. (2004). Spina bifida: Genes, brain, and development. In L.M. Glidden (Ed.), Handbook of Research on Mental Retardation (Vol. 28, pp. 63-117). San Diego: Academic Press.

Holmbeck, G. N., Johnson, S. Z., Wills, K., McKernon, W., Rolewick, S., & Skubic, T. (2002). Observed and perceived parental overprotection in relation to psychosocial adjustment in pre-adolescents with a physical disability: The mediational role of behavioral autonomy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 70, 96-110.