May 16, 2007
The Institute of Child Development
The Institute’s objective is to promote the health and well-being of all children, particularly those who have histories of institutionalization. Institute’s mission consists in three elements: research, education, and clinical services.
Research activity focuses on multiple facets of psychological and neurological development of children. The research team is involved in the study of cognitive, social and emotional processes and is interested in the observation and measurement of attention, memory, as well as emotion expression and social experience.
The IDC lab is specialized in linking these psychological processes to neural activity through brain imaging methods such as EEG (image 1) and monitoring the development of the child by quantifying the observed behavior.
Image 1 Members of the lab preparing for the EEG-recording
Under the coordination of renowned Professors Charles Nelson, Charles Zeannah and Nathan Fox, ICD’s research cover longitudinal studies focused on: examining the effects of early experience (deprivation) on cognitive development; the tools and methods that can facilitate the understanding of brain-behavioral development and examining the psychopathological sequelae of early institutionalization, child abuse, and neglect.
Image 2 Members of the lab recording brain waves (EEG) and analyzing data
Besides research, the Institute of Child Development offers the students of Faculty of Psychology, Bucharest University top quality assistance in practicing experimental psychology, developmental psychology and EEG fundamentals.
Since November 2006 students have participated to lab classes focused on data collecting, data analysis and research protocols commitments.
ICD has a modern library endowed with the latest books of psychology, psychiatry, and medicine for internal and external use (image 3).
Image 3 IDC library and the research team
As a part of Cooperation Program between the Institute of Child Development and Faculty of Psychology, Bucharest University, students are taking part to Scientific Debates as: Conferences, Symposia, Workshop and Training.
Image 4 Symposia: Methods and tools of neural development in early childhood. Professor Nelson, Professor Fox, Dr. Elisabeth Furtado, Researcher (PhD student) Anca Radulescu and Professor Mihai Anitei)
On 26th April at the Faculty of Psychology, Bucharest University took place the Symposia “Methods and tools of neural development in early childhood” targeting the undergraduate and graduated students (image 4).
The goal of the Symposia was to advance the science of developmental psychology and neuroscience and to offer the student the opportunity to participate in future collaborations as students exchange, participating to research studies and more.
Furthermore we hope that the involvement of the Faculty of Psychology, University of Bucharest with their respective research staff will lead to prosperous academic collaborations with US Universities and scientific staff.
EJOP Editor
Mihaela Chraif