Staff profile

Dr Elfriede Ihsen

Honorary Research Fellow

Faculty of Science, Technology and Engineering

School of Psychological Science
Department of Psychology
Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre

Room 252 Biological Sciences Building 2, Melbourne (Bundoora)

 

Qualifications

PhD, BSc (HONS), Monash

Membership of professional associations

ARACY, AHDA

Area of study

Psychology

Brief profile

Dr Elfriede Ihsen is an Honorary Research Fellow at OTARC and the School of Psychological Science, La Trobe University.

 

Prior to joining La Trobe University, Dr Ihsen was a lecturer and researcher in the School of Studies in Disability at Deakin University (1988 – 1997) and in Psychology at Swinburne University of Technology (1998 – 2006). Her main teaching subjects were child development (including the development of children with a disability), early intervention and visual impairment and blindness.

 

Areas of Interest

  • Development in early childhood, especially play, executive function and effortful control, parenting, transitions.
  • Development of children who grow up with disabilities or in non-optimal family and community environments. Particular expertise: development of children with congenital visual impairment and blindness, with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and of children who have been abused and/or neglected by their caregivers.
  • Services and programs that support children with disabilities, their families and communities. Particular expertise: early childhood intervention, family-centred intervention, outcomes-based programs, evaluation of programs and services, staff development and training.

Dr Ihsen is also a reviewer for the Australian Journal of Learning Disabilities.

Recent publications

Kelly, R., Dissanayake, C., Hammond, S.W. & Ihsen, E. (2011). The relationship between symbolic play and executive function in young children. Australian Journal of Early Childhood, 36, 21-27.

Ihsen, E., Troester, H. & Brambring, M. (2010). The role of sound in encouraging infants with congenital blindness to reach for objects. Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, 104 (8), 478-488.

Ihsen, E. (with assistance from A. Hacker (2007). “Kasserian Ingera?” - How are the children? Evaluation of Yarra Ranges Integrated Family Services Year 1 (2005-2006).

Oxley, J., Ihsen, E., Fildes, B.N., Day, R.H., & Charlton, J.L. (2005). Crossing roads safely: Age differences in gap selection. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 37, 962-971.