Reverend Father Professor Anthony Afful Broni, Acting Vice Chancellor of University of Education, Winneba (UEW), who inaugurated the chapter at the end of the 12th Regional workshop held at Winneba, urged researchers to embark on new paths that will emerge as results of interactions between cultures and rapid technological advancement.

The workshop, held under the theme: “Researching into Adoptive Behaviours in contexts of change: Interdisciplinary and Multicultural Approaches for early career scholars in Africa”, was organized by UEW, Faulty of Educational Studies in collaboration with ISSBD.

Participants at the workshop came from various countries including: Zimbabwe, Cameron, Nigeria, Kenya, Cote d’Ivoire and South Africa. Topics discussed at the workshop included grant/proposal writing, inter-disciplinary approach in research for early career scholars in Africa, how to publish in International Journals, how to make academic paper presentation and effective presentation of conference posters.

Professor Afful-Broni said many areas across the world have witnessed rapid changes in the context of human development arising from urbanization, economic development, environmental degradation and violent conflict. This, he said, has led to the emergence of developmental contexts placing individuals at risk of development “maladaptive behaviours” hence the need for a multidisciplinary, international and interdisciplinary cooperative approaches.

Prof Anne Petersen of the University of Michigan expressed concern that ISSBD was established in 1969 with few people but currently it has membership of over 1000 members in 88 countries.Prof Charity Sylvia Akotia, Department of Psychology, University of Ghana, said there is the need to study adaptive behaviours as it is recognised as critical to understanding development and the needs of the individual.