Danielle Droucker, MSc in School and Applied Child Psychology

Where are you from?
I was born and raised in Nelson, BC, but my home is Victoria, BC

What program of study and degree are you doing?
MSc in School and Applied Child Psychology

When do you hope to complete your degree?
2012

What is your undergraduate degree? Which university is it from?
BA in Psychology from the University of Victoria

What is the name (or working title) of your thesis?
Infants’ Attention to Social Communication: Predictors of Language Development in a High Risk Population

Can you give me a synopsis or brief description of what your thesis is about?
The goal of this study is to acquire prospective data relating to language development in infants at elevated risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder. We propose to examine relationships among and between two social attention factors, joint attention and attention to speech, related to language development. Data from two groups of infants: later-born siblings of children already diagnosed with ASD (SIBS-A) and typically developing infants (SIBS-TD), matched for age, will be analyzed and compared. Evidence indicates that there are elevated rates of language problems in family members of a person with ASD, ranging from 200 to 300 times that in families with no ASD. Recruiting a high-risk sample increases the odds of studying infants at risk for language problems.

Do you have a personal relationship to the topic? What gives it personal relevance to you?
I've worked with children with Autism in my previous research and found the kids so wonderful to work with and the research so rewarding.

Who is your thesis supervisor?
Dr. Suzanne Curtin and Dr. Anne McKeough

What are your career plans after graduation?
I would like to work with young children and infants who are at risk of developing a developmental disorder or language disorder. I'm particularly interested in developing and using early identification measures.

What are your hobbies outside of school?
I love to hike, snowboard, and go climbing, but I'm often found reading a good book or hanging out with my pooch.

What did you like most about the U of C, Faculty of Education, Division of Applied Psychology program?
I really appreciate that the Applied Psychology program is so collaborative and interdisciplinary. The multiprofessional emphasis within the program is a great advantage to it's students and those who stand to benefit from it.

What is one of the best memories of your study so far?
One of the best memories is actually an ongoing one. The infants that I work with in my research provide me with the most joy and enthusiasm for my project and education.

What is one of the highlights of your study so far?
I get to work with the most amazing researchers and families.

Why did you choose your area of study or specialization?
This area appealed to me because of the many families that struggle with Autism and the drastic need for more research and support.

How did you choose the U of C program?
I know several researchers and colleagues that have either been through the program or have great things to say about it.

What is your idea of happiness?
Fulfilling my dreams.

What is your main fault?
I'm entirely too gullible.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Photography.