LF:BTPY041p Psychology and spec. of child - Course Information
BTPY041p Psychology and specifics of child psychology
Faculty of Medicinespring 2027
- Extent and Intensity
- 2/0/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
In-person direct teaching - Teacher(s)
- Mgr. et Mgr. Zdeňka Barešová (lecturer)
PhDr. Pavel Humpolíček, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Ing. Veronika Kamenská, MBA (lecturer)
doc. PhDr. Martin Loučka, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Tatiana Malatincová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. PhDr. Alena Slezáčková, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Bc. Kateřina Smolková (lecturer)
doc. PhDr. Miroslav Světlák, Ph.D. (lecturer)
MUDr. Rastislav Šumec, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Blanka Suchá (assistant) - Guaranteed by
- doc. PhDr. Miroslav Světlák, Ph.D.
Department of Medical Psychology and Ethics – Theoretical Departments – Faculty of Medicine
Contact Person: Blanka Suchá
Supplier department: Department of Medical Psychology and Ethics – Theoretical Departments – Faculty of Medicine - Prerequisites (in Czech)
- BOET031p Health Care Ethics
- Course Enrolment Limitations
- The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
- fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
- Abstract
This course introduces the foundations of psychology as they relate to the work of orthoptists with pediatric patients and their families. In their practice, orthoptists do not work only with a visual disorder, but above all with the child, their developmental level, motivation to cooperate, and family background, all of which significantly influence the course and success of treatment.
The aim of the course is to help students understand how children develop at different ages, how they respond to examinations, treatment, and health-related limitations, and how these situations are experienced by their parents. Students acquire a basic orientation in developmental psychology and child clinical psychology to the extent needed for everyday orthoptic practice.
Emphasis is placed on practical skills, such as how to work with a child who is afraid of an examination or refuses to cooperate, how to motivate a child to wear an occluder regularly or engage in exercises, and how to respond to frustration and fatigue during long-term treatment. Students also learn how to communicate information sensitively to parents who may experience uncertainty, guilt, or concerns about their child’s future, and how to collaborate with them in a way that supports the treatment process.
The course also includes an understanding of specific situations, such as working with children with visual or combined disabilities, children with attention or developmental difficulties, and family reactions to receiving a diagnosis or to long-term treatment.- Learning outcomes
The student adapts their communication style to the child’s developmental level and current psychological state during examination or exercises.
The student applies basic psychological principles, such as motivation, reinforcement, and attention management, when working with a child who refuses to cooperate during orthoptic examination or therapy.
The student proposes and justifies an approach to increasing cooperation between the child and parents during long-term treatment, for example when wearing an occluder or engaging in exercises.
The student explains the nature of the examination or treatment to parents in a clear and understandable way and responds to their concerns, uncertainty, or emotions.
The student recognizes typical psychological reactions of the child and family to illness or disability and adapts their approach accordingly.
The student reflects on their own behavior in interaction with the child and parents and proposes how their approach could be improved in a similar situation.- Key topics
- How children at different ages understand examination and treatment.
- Typical reactions of children to examination, treatment, and restrictions.
- Gaining the child’s cooperation during examination and therapy.
- Motivating the child for long-term treatment, for example occlusion therapy.
- Communication with the child according to age and situation.
- Communication with parents, including their expectations, concerns, and emotions.
- The influence of the family on the child’s cooperation and the course of treatment.
- The experience of visual and combined disabilities in children.
- Working with children with specific needs, for example attention or developmental difficulties.
- Managing challenging situations in the outpatient clinic, such as resistance, fear, fatigue, or aggression.
- Basic principles of learning and child motivation in therapy.
- The role of the orthoptist and the influence of communication on the course of treatment.
- Study resources and literature
- Approaches, practices, and methods used in teaching
Teaching is delivered in the form of a lecture with an interactive and partly seminar-based character. In addition to explanation of the subject matter, the course continuously incorporates discussions, targeted questions, and work with specific clinical situations from orthoptic practice.
Emphasis is placed on the active involvement of students, especially through joint analysis of short case vignettes, sharing of proposed solutions, and reflection on these approaches. The course also includes short exercises focused on the application of psychological principles in typical situations, such as working with an uncooperative child, communicating with parents, or supporting cooperation during treatment.
In this way, teaching connects theoretical explanation with practical reasoning about real-life situations and encourages students to use psychological knowledge actively in their future clinical practice.- Method of verifying learning outcomes and course completion requirements
The colloquium takes the form of a group discussion and is designed to assess students’ understanding of the core concepts of general and medical psychology and their application in clinical practice.
During the colloquium, each student draws one of the topics covered in the course and presents its main ideas or “highlights” in a brief presentation of approximately three minutes. The presentation should address the topic’s relevance for clinical practice, as well as its contribution to the personal and professional development of the healthcare professional.
The presentation is followed by a short group discussion, allowing the topic to be further elaborated and different perspectives to be shared.
Assessment is based on the student’s ability to capture the essence of the topic, connect theoretical knowledge with clinical practice, and actively participate in the discussion, including reflection on the significance of the topic for the professional role of the healthcare professional.- Alternate completion
In justified cases, the course may be completed in an alternative format on the basis of an individual agreement with the teacher. The specific form of alternative completion will be determined with regard to the extent of missed teaching, the nature of the topics covered, and the need to verify achievement of the learning outcomes.
Alternative completion of the course will usually include independent work with materials in the interactive syllabus and will be concluded by an oral colloquium with the teacher. The colloquium will focus on verifying the student’s understanding of the topics listed in the interactive syllabus and their ability to relate them to practical situations in orthoptic care.- Language of instruction
- Czech
- Study support
- https://is.muni.cz/auth/el/med/jaro2027/BTPY041p/index.qwarp?mode=edit
- Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
- Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught every week. - Teacher's information
Attendance at lectures is not compulsory according to the Study and Examination Regulations of Masaryk University. Nevertheless, students are strongly encouraged to participate actively in the teaching.
The lectures are interactive and practice-oriented, and include clinical examples, discussions, and the application of psychological principles to real situations from orthoptic practice. These experiences cannot be fully replaced by self-study or by the available literature.
Both the content and the form of teaching are designed to help students acquire a way of thinking that is applicable in their future profession. This mode of work is also reflected in the final assessment of the course.
- Enrolment Statistics (spring 2027, recent)
- Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/med/spring2027/BTPY041p