Psychomotricity and Neuropsychological Functions

Code: DES12066M

3 ECTS

Duration: 15 weeks/78 hours

Scientific Area: Human Kinetics

Teaching languages: Portuguese, English

Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese, English

Regime de Frequência: Presencial

Presentation

This UC is offered in the 1st year of the master's degree in Psychomotricity. It is a UC centered on brain-mind-body-motricity relations, using knowledge in the area of neurosciences as a support.

Sustainable Development Goals

Saúde e bem-estar - Assegurar uma vida saudável e promover o bem-estar para todos, em todas as idades.

Educação de qualidade - Assegurar a educação inclusiva, e equitativa e de qualidade, e promover oportunidades de aprendizagem ao longo da vida para todos.

Learning Goals

It is intended that students learn/understand:
- understand the relationship between psychomotricity and neuropsychology throughout the life cycle.
- know the main brain-mind-body-movement relations; embodiment.
- know the main neuropsychological functions, and the role of psychomotricity in its development and rehabilitation (in case of deficit).

It is also intended that students develop the following competencies:
-guide their practical intervention taking into account the main models of neuropsychological organization and the main neuropsychological constructs.
-assess in a professional context several fundamental constructs for the psychomotricist, including interoception, body awareness, motor imagery, and emotion regulation.

1. Evolutionary and neuropsychological bases of psychomotricity
2. Neuropsychological models of psychomotricity: pioneers and new contributions
3. Study of brain-mind-body-movement relations; embodiment
4. Mirror neurons, empathy and compassion
5. Body and emotion - interrelationships
6. Body image and interoception in eating disorders
7. Executive functions and emotional control / regulation
8. Imagery and mental practice in rehabilitation
9. Mind-body interventions in aging
10. Self / body experience in schizophrenia
11. Self / body experience in trauma victims
12. Psychomotor intervention based on current knowledge from the neurosciences
13. Assessment methods of the main constructs studied

Teaching Methods

Lessons include lecturing moments about technical and scientific information, interspersed with moments of analysis, debate and application of knowledge. Films, animations and digital applications will be used to support the teaching of the contents. The application/analysis activities include worksheets, discussion groups, assessment of neuropsychological functions and practical tasks related to the psychological constructs. The face-to-face classes are carefully aligned with the resources available in the moodle (videos, animations, diverse texts, Internet pages, etc.) to promote the students' autonomy and their asynchronous learning. The continuous evaluation will include the realization of two works on the contents of the UC. One of the works (50%) will be presented and discussed in class; the other work (50%) will be a literature review. The final exam will be constituted by a written (50%) and an oral part (50%).