Parenting in Challenging Situations Research Laboratory
About
Yael Barak Levy - PhD
Dr. Yael Barak Levy is the Head of the special education field in Achva Academic College in Israel. In this capacity she is in charge of 4 departments within the college: Early Childhood Education; Special Education for graduates; Special Education for postgraduates; and Educational Counseling. She is also an educational adviser in the special education system and a researcher and lecturer within the field of developmental psychology. Her research centers mainly on parental experiences within complex educational challenges. This includes two major paths: parents and families of children with special needs and parenting in the context of professional relocation. These interests stem from a strong connection to the field. Yael worked as a kindergarten teacher in kindergartens for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) for 8 years and as an educational counselor supporting families of children with a variety of special needs. Her experience within the educational system is evident in her work as she considers in her research a holistic view to education that examines both cognitive and social-emotional aspects of learning and teaching. She also focusses on the attitudes of all the participants surrounding children’s learning, including parents, children, and educational staff. Her latest studies examine the reactions of parents to their child’s diagnosis with special needs; the placement process into the special education system – from both parental and staff points of view; and special programs to encourage inclusion of children with special needs into regular schools and kindergartens. In order to achieve a more in-depth view of these aspects her studies mix qualitative and quantitative data. The holistic view of the educational system, with a focus on social, emotional and cognitive aspects of education, continues in Yael’s research regarding parenting when on professional relocations. Here too she has personal interest in the subject as she had been on relocation with her family, including her three young children. This has given her firsthand insight regarding the challenges parents face in a setting of temporary immigration, as they integrate the children into educational institutions and at the same time deal with their own personal adjustment.
Special Project
Articles in Refereed Journals
Paryente, B. & Barak-Levy, Y. (2023). How Bedouin and Jewish mothers process their experiences of parenting their children with special needs in Israel. Israeli Affairs.
Parenting and Stress in Mothers and Fathers of Children with Developmental Delay, November 2013. Number of pages: 95, Language: English, Ben Gurion University of the Negev.
Advisors: Prof. Judy Auerbach & Dr. Naama Atzaba-Poria.
Barak-Levy, Y. & Paryente, B. (2023). Diving into the resolution process: Parent’s reactions to child’s diagnosis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20, 3295. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20043295
Paryente, B. & Barak-Levy, Y. (2023). Parents’ Reactions to their Child’s Placement in Special-Education Kindergartens: A Grounded Theory Study in Israel. International Journal of Early Years Education.
Barak-Levy, Y. & Paryente, B. (2023). The Parental Resolution Process with a Diagnosis of Special Needs in Early Childhood. Researching @ Early Childhood, 18, 51-75 ]Hebrew[.
Paryente, B. & Barak-Levy, Y. (2023). Parents’ Reactions to their Child’s Placement in Special-Education Kindergartens: A Grounded Theory Study in Israel. International Journal of Early Years Education.
Barak-Levy, Y. & Flavian, H. (2022). Learning Self Expression through dance; A Case Study of Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Research in Dance Education.
Barak-Levy Y. & Flavian, H. (2022). Dancing for All; A Case Study of Adolescents with ASD Learning to Dance and Express Themselves Through Movement. Issues in Special Education and Integration.
Paryente, B. & Barak Levy, Y. (2022). "A special education kindergarten sounded to me like a nightmare" the parental perspective of special education with the escort of the educational counselor. Journal of the Educational Counselor [Hebrew].
Levavi, K., Menashe-Grinberg, A., Barak-Levy, Y. & Atzaba-Poria, N. (2020). The Role of Parental Playfulness as a Moderator Reducing Child Behavioural Problems Among Children with Intellectual Disability. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 107, 103793. Doi: 10.1016/j.ridd.2020.103793.
Huffmeijer, R., Barak-Levy, Y., & Rippe, R. C. (2020). Attractiveness and neural processing of infant faces: effects of a facial abnormality but not dopamine. Physiology & Behavior, 222, 112937. Doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2020.112937.
(Journal ranked in the category of Philosophy & Cognitive Psychology – Q1; IF 2.69).
Barak-Levy, Y. & Atzaba-Poria, N. (2015). The effects of familial risk and parental resolution on parenting a child with mild intellectual disability. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 47, 106-116. Doi: 10.1016/j.ridd.2015.09.008
Barak-Levy, Y. & Atzaba-Poria, N. (2013). Paternal versus maternal coping styles with child diagnosis of Developmental Delay (DD). Research in Developmental Disabilities, 34, 2040-2046. Doi: 10.1016/j.ridd.2013.02.026
Barak-Levy Y. & Flavian, H. (2022). Dancing for All; A Case Study of Adolescents with ASD Learning to Dance and Express Themselves Through Movement. Issues in Special Education and Integration. ]Hebrew[, 33, 179-196.
Barak-Levy, Y., Goldstein, E. & Weinstock, M. (2010). Adjustment characteristics of healthy siblings of children with autism. Journal of Family Studies, 16, 155-164. Doi: 10.5172/jfs.16.2.155
Entries in Encyclopedias
Barak-Levy, Y. & Atzaba-Poria, N. (2018). Diathesis-stress model. In Bornstein, M. (Ed.), The SAGE Encyclopaedia of Lifespan Human Development (pp 616-617). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Other Works Connected with my Scholarly Field
Odiz, D. & Barak Levy, Y. (2019). Steps of success: a hip hop workshop to develop social and emotional skills for children with special needs. Manual and lesson plans.
*Funded by the Daniel Howard fund.
Barak Levy, Y. (2019). Steps of success: a hip hop workshop to develop social and emotional skills for children with special needs. Manual and lesson plans. Adaptation for high functioning autism spectrum disorders.
Barak Levy, Y. (2018). Steps of success: a hip hop workshop to develop social and emotional skills for children with special needs. Manual and lesson plans. Adaptation for Intelectual developmental disabilities.
Barak Levy, Y. (2019). Steps of success: a hip hop workshop to develop social and emotional skills for children with special needs. Manual and lesson plans. Adaptation for low and medium functioning autism spectrum disorders.
CURRICULUM VITAE - Yael Barak Levy
Undergraduate and Graduate Studies
Period of Study
Name of Institutionand Department
Degree
2008-2013
Developmental Psychology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.
Parenting and Stress in Mothers and Fathers of Children with Developmental Delay,
Advisors: Prof. Judy Auerbach & Dr. Naama Atzaba-Poria.
Ph.D
Year of Completion
2014
2004-2006
Educational Counseling, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.
MA,
magna cum laude
Approved 2007
1998-2001
Behavioral Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
BA,
magna cum laude
Approved 2001
Post-doctoral studies
2015-2017
The Centre for Child and Family Studies, Education Department, Leiden University, The Netherlands.
"The Dopamine and Parenting Behavior Project" under the supervision of Dr. Huffmeijer & Dr. Rippe in the lab of Prof. Van IJzendoorn & Prof. Bakermans-Kranenburg
Post-doctoral
2017
Participation in Scholarly Conferences
Active Participation
Date
Oct, 2023
Name of Conference
16th annual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation
Place of Conference
Saville, Spain
Subject of Lecture /Discussion
It was a really hard time and suddenly it was wonderful" - experiences of mothers in relocation regarding their children's educational institutions
Role
Lecturer (virtual)
June, 2023
Passion and Professionalism in Teacher Education
The Eighth International Conference on Teacher Education
Israel
Coherence and self-efficacy among
kindergarten student teachers
learning NLP skills
Co-Lecturer
June, 2023
International Virtual Conference on Nursing
Research, Patient Safety and Healthcare
Virtual conference
Diving into the Resolution Process: Parent’s Reactions to Child’s Diagnosis
Lecturer
Dec, 2022
IACEP 2022
International Association for Cognitive Education and Psychology
Virtual conference
If you want to promote inclusion – Think out of the box
Promoting emotional and social awareness among adolescents with autism spectrum disorder through dance
Lecturer
Mar, 2022
The 16th annual International Technology, Education and Development conference
Spain
Promoting emotional and social awareness among adolescents with autism spectrum disorder through dance
Lecturer
Oct, 2021
Assistance for children with special needs and their family’s seminar
Israel
Autism spectrum disorders and intellectual disabilities in children
Lecturer
Mar, 2021
Conference of Educational cohesion: Coherence within the training process, residency, and professional learning of teachers
Israel
The contribution of NLP training to professional competence perception for students in training and residency
Lecturer
Sep,
2019
17th ICTEL 2019 – International Conference on Teaching, Education & Learning
London, UK
Maternal views concerning the mainstreaming of children with ASD within the Haredi sector of Judaism
Fathers are NOT mothers; a mediation model of parental stress, parenting and risk factors in families of children with a mild intellectual disability
Poster presenter
April, 2019
Autism is Not a Disability, it is a Difference
Israel
April, 2019
Conference for Chinese school headmasters
Israel
May, 2018
The World Congress
of the World Association for Infant Mental Health
Israel
What is the Autistic Spectrum and why does it keep widening?
Children with special needs in the Israeli school system
The Importance of Maternal and Paternal Playfulness Among Families of Children Diagnosed with Developmental Delay
Organizer and Lecturer
Main Lecturer
Poster presenter
July,2013
the conference of the Institution for advanced studies – The Influential Child: The Role of Children’s Psychobiology and Socialization in Development
Israel
Paternal versus maternal coping styles with child diagnosis of Developmental Delay
Poster presenter
Dec,2012
The Gerry Schwartz and Heather Reisman 3rd International Conference on Pediatric Chronic
Diseases, Disability and Human Development
Israel
Mothers versus fathers’ reactions to the diagnosis of children with developmental delay
Lecturer
July, 2011
The fifth annual disabilities international convention, conference of the Issy Shapira House
Israel
Parental role division in families of children with developmental delay: are mothers and fathers content?
Poster presenter
June, 2010
The World congress of the World Association for Infant Mental Health
Leipzig, Germany
Father-child interaction in families of infants with feeding problems: The role of paternal depression
Poster presenter
Sept, 2009
Mar, 2023
Jan-May, 2023
The annual conference of the British Psychological Society Developmental Section
Nottingham, UK
Adjustment characteristics of healthy siblings of children with autism
Outside the box: Meaning, innovation and empowerment when entering teaching and throughout professional development
Israel
Meaning, identity and culture
Outside the box: Meaning, innovation and empowerment when entering teaching and throughout professional development
Israel
Academic and professional development for kindergarten and special education pedagogical trainers, students, and teachers
Poster presenter
Chair of session
Organizer
Dec. 2021 – June, 2022
potlight on undiscussed challenges in education through the perspective of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) – From the personal to the theoretical
Israel
Academic and professional development for pedagogical trainers, students, and teachers
Organizer
June, 2021
We are not alone: Innovative projects within the early childhood education department
Israel
The innovative approach to cooperative work in early childhood studies
Lecturer
April, 2019
What is the Autistic Spectrum and why does it keep widening?
Israel
Autism is Not a Disability, it is a Difference
Organizer and Lecturer
Teaching
Courses Taught in Recent Years
Current issues in specific learning disabilities - a critical analysis of articles
Advanced Aspects in Developmental Psycholog
Innovative Approaches and Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Through Inclusion of Learners with Special Needs
Mediation for Development of Thought Processes
Reflective Care
Introduction to Mild Disabilities
Cognitive and Senso-Motor Development in Toddlers
Detection and Care in Students with Attention Deficit Disorder
Introduction to Care Systems Accompanying the Process of Development and Maturation
PDD – Advanced Issues
The World of Children
Introduction To Severe Disabilities and Sensory Disabilitie
Detection and Care in Students with Attention Deficit Disorder
Reading and Understanding Psycho-Didactic Diagnosis
Special Education, Inclusion and Mainstreaming
Cooperation Within a Multidisciplinary Team
Augmentative and Alternative Communication
Cooperation Within a Multidisciplinary Team
Identifying At-risk Children and Toddlers
Education / Integration of Children with Special Needs
Introduction to Learning Disabilities
Socio-Emotional Development
Typical and Pathological Development
Children with Special Needs in the school system
Children with Special Needs in the school system
Developmental Psychology
Psychology to Non-Psychologists
Autism and Communication Disorders: Theory and Application
© Dr Yael Barak Levy