A former local resident will return to Wauchope High School on Monday to continue research into long term memory in children.
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Samantha Joplin is currently completing her PhD and Psych Clinical Doctorate at the University of Sydney. Her research is study, entitled: Accelerated Long-term Forgetting in Children with Epilepsy: an investigation of the temporal trajectory and contribution of executive skills, is investigating a memory phenomenon in paediatric epilpesy.
“We are seeking participants in the Hastings district aged 8 to 16 years for a study on long-term memory in children,” she said.
“We are investigating long term memory in children and adolescents: how do they remember and how fast do they forget.
“Children and adolescents will be asked to answer some questions, complete some puzzles, solve problems and remember different information.
“The assessment can be completed at home or at Wauchope High School during the week commencing Monday, September 5.”
Ms Joplin said she hopes to collect data for the control group from typically developing children free of epilepsy aged 8 to 16 years old.
She says it will be ‘a very interesting and novel experience for students’.
“Typically, rural students wouldn't be offered opportunities to participate in clinical research,” she said.
“I'm also hoping that this research will further benefit the school and wider community by raising awareness of memory difficulties in children with epilepsy.
“It might also elicit student interest in epilepsy, psychology, psychological testing, memory/neuroscience or medical research through their exposure to this interesting research topic.”
Ms Joplin said the study includes a brief interview with parents over the phone and then asking them to complete some behavioural questionnaires.
Each parent or guardian will receive a brief cognitive report, which will summarise and interpret the results of your child’s assessment free of charge, she said.
The report may include recommendations for referral if indicated.
If you are the parent of a child/adolescent who does not have epilepsy and would be interested in participating in this study or if you have any further questions please contact Samantha Joplin sjop6031@uni.sydney.edu.au or Wauchope High School on 6585 1400.
