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In the last 15 years, understanding of how the brain processes information has increased greatly as neuro-imaging techniques have been coupled with paradigms drawn from experimental psychology to investigate information processing in individuals with typical and disturbed brain development. My research applies the insights emerging from this research to understand how early disturbances in brain development, resulting from injury, very preterm birth or genetically based developmental disorders, may influence information processing later in childhood.
I am interested in fundamental questions about human neuropsychological development, for example, the plasticity of different functional systems following early insult and/or atypical environmental experiences, and also in the application of the results of fundamental research to practical questions about how to optimize the development of children at heightened risk for problems as a result of early insult and/or atypical environmental experiences.
To date, most of my research has focused on the development of very preterm children. At the ANU I intend to broaden this focus to investigate the association between information processing and learning in children with developmental disorders such as ADHD and autism spectrum disorders. I am particularly interested in the fundamental information processes, such as attention, memory an executive functions, which are associated with learning in school and the management of behaviour in complex situations, such as peer group interaction. Ultimately I hope to extend my research focus to investigate systematic effects of malnutrition on information processing.
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Butcher, P. R.; Kalverboer, A. F. (1999). A phase transition in infants’ ability to disengage visual attention. In Non-linear developmental processes. G. Savelsbergh, H. van der Maas & P. van Geert (eds.) Verhandelingen KNAW, deel 175, pp 81-92. Amsterdam.
Butcher P.R.; Kalverboer A.F.; Geuze R.H. (1999). Inhibition of return in very young infants: a longitudinal study. Infant Behavior and Development, Volume 22, pp. 303-319
Butcher P.R.; Kalverboer A.F.; Geuze R.H. (2000). Infants' shifts of gaze from a central to a peripheral stimulus: a longitudinal study of development between 6 and 26 weeks. Infant Behavior and Development, Volume 23, pp. 3-21.
Butcher, P.R. & Bouma, A. (2008). Parenting stress in mothers and fathers of a child with a hemiparesis: sources of stress, intervening factors and long-term expressions of stress. Child: Care, Health and Development, 34, 530-541.
Van Braeckel, K.; Butcher, P.R.; Geuze, R.H.; van Duijn, M.A.J.; van Doornmaal, E.F.; Bouma, A. (in press). Less efficient elementary visuomotor processes in 7 to 10 year old preterm born children without Cerebral Palsy: an indication of impaired dorsal stream processes? Journal of Neuropsychology.
Bruggink, J. L. M., Einspieler , C., Butcher, P. R., Van Braeckel, K., Prechtl, H. F. R. & Bos, A. F. (in press). The Quality of the early motor repertoire in preterm infants predicts Minor Neurological Dysfunction at school age. Journal of Pediatrics.
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