Required (8 credits)

Credits

IMH 501

Basic Research Design and Methodology

This course introduces students to basic concepts of research design, methods and statistics relevant to understanding and conducting research on general psychology, with a special emphasis on infancy and early childhood mental health and developmental disorders. The course will use several case studies to achieve its learning objectives.

2

IMH 502

Statistics I

This basic course reviews concepts in introductory statistics, including descriptive statistics, basic probability theory, sampling distributions and the Central Limit Theorem; the binomial, normal, Student t, chi-square, and F distributions; and techniques of 1- and 2-sample tests, linear regression, correlation, an introduction to analysis of variance and selected nonparametric procedures. The course will discuss the application of these concepts by analyzing peer-reviewed articles focusing on Infant Mental Health and Developmental Disorders research.

2

IMH 503

Basic Psychometrics

This course introduces students to psychometrics theory and test construction.  It also introduces students to basic concepts of psychometric measurement, including concepts of instrument validity and reliability. The course applies these concepts by reviewing different instruments available to conduct research in infancy, early childhood mental health, and developmental disorders. 

2

IMH 504

Statistics II: Techniques of Data Analysis

This course builds on Statistics I (IMH 502) by reviewing more in depth how to apply the basic concepts acquire in the previous course for statistical analysis of data in the context of Infant Mental Health and Developmental Disorders research. It introduces to the use of computers for advanced data analysis (e.g. multiple regression, analysis of variance, factor analysis).

2

Electives (6 credits minimum)

Credits

IMH 505

Research Meta-Evaluation and Meta-Analysis

This course introduces students to two forms of evaluation of research studies that allow to better assessing studies’ internal and external validity, as they relate to infancy and early childhood mental health and developmental disorders. The course will review several research studies on infancy, early childhood development, and family functioning to achieve its learning objectives. It also reviews how to evaluate the efficacy of interventions.

2

IMH 506

Advanced Psychometrics

This course builds on Basic Psychometrics (IMH 503) by reviewing more in depth psychometric principles of test construction and advanced psychometric testing strategies for an instrument validation using causal modeling techniques.

2

IMH 507

Advanced Statistics

This course helps students to develop skills for conducting multivariate data analysis, including those for survey research, program evaluation, epidemiological research, and qualitative research (MANCOVA, multiple regression, logistic regression, cluster analysis).

2

IMH 508

Advanced Research Design and Methodology

This course discusses advanced concepts in research design and methodology that are useful in planning, writing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating research studies in Infant Mental health and developmental Disorders.  The course reviews the ethical, methodological, statistical, conceptual, and communication principles that are involved in infant mental health research.

2

IMH 509

Research Grant Writing

This advanced elective course provides students with an opportunity to develop necessary competencies to apply for funding that would support research for infants and young children on topics related to mental health and/or developmental disorders.

2