The Cognitive Development Lab

People of the Lab

Dana Barzk

Status Lab: PhD in direct track

About myself: BA in behavioral science, holds a teaching certificate in special education and a graduate of AAT studies with animal-assisted therapy at Levinsky College of Education. Currently studying for MA in a direct PhD program at the University of Haifa at the Faculty of Special Education in Autism and Cannabis.

Research Status: The full research proposal has been approved, currently working on building the research measurement tools.

About the research: One of the treatments that have become very common in recent years is the use of the cannabis plant, although many children with autism are being treated today with medical cannabis, it is not yet clear exactly which components in the cannabis plants affect and which specific symptoms are most likely to be improved under cannabis treatment. The present study will systematically examine the effect of the types of medical cannabis on main behavioral aspects associated with autism symptoms in 150 children with ASD over one year of treatment. We will use different perceptual tasks to measure the sensory-perceptual profile and emotional-social and daily functioning to examine central behavioral aspects associated with autism symptoms.