For Scientists

Human Neurobehavioral Core Service (HNBCS)

The Human Neurobehavioral Core Service (HNBCS) is led by Ellen Hanson, Ph.D. The goal of HNBCS is to improve access to and expand behavioral assessment resources for translational neuroscience research at Boston Children’s Hospital. The HNBCS offers a wide range of standardized neurodevelopmental assessments. Examples include measures of language development, adaptive abilities, motor skills, cognitive abilities, social skills, and behavioral and psychiatric disorders. HNBCS works with research participants of all ages and developmental abilities as well as individuals with genetic differences, medical or psychiatric diagnoses. We are involved in a wide variety of research from work with small groups to international consortium and from individual grants to large translational studies. In addition to assessment, HNBCS is available for consultation on research topic generation, phenotyping battery design, grant writing, database design, research form development, statistical analysis, poster development and research paper writing. We also provide assessment training on instruments such as the ADOS-2 and ADI.

Training Goals

Trainees will be able to gain valuable skills in both research and clinical domains and expand their knowledge of child development, neurodevelopmental disabilities and rare genetic conditions, including:

• Experience administering and scoring a wide range of neurodevelopmental behavioral
  assessments within a research setting, including, but not limited to: the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, Fourth Edition (Bayley-4); Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL); Differential Ability Scales, Second Edition (DAS-II); Stanford-Binet, Fifth Edition (SB-5); Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, Fourth Edition (WPPSI-IV); Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children, Fourth Edition (WISC-IV); and Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence, Second Edition (WASI-II); as well as diagnostic protocols including the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2) and Autism Diagnostic Interview, Revised (ADI-R).
• Experience with interpreting data and writing neuropsychological research reports
• Gain knowledge related to the development of translational neuroscience research, including battery and database design, data analysis, etc.

Supervision & Formal Training

• Trainees will observe and conduct neuropsychological assessments while supervised by licensed psychologist.
• Graduate trainees will have opportunities to engage in research activities, including manuscript writing and poster presentations, and will be expected to attend didactic seminars and trainings.

Examples of Training Topics:

• Neurodevelopmental and Genetic Disorders Overview
• Assessment of Autism Spectrum Disorder: Introduction to ADOS and ADI-R
• Introduction to Neuropsychological Assessments
• Behavior Management in a Research and Clinical Setting
• Trainees are provided with weekly individual and group supervision and ongoing mentorship by a licensed clinical psychologist within the HNBCS