Professor Dr. Erland Hjelmquist

Biography

Erland Hjelmquist is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Gothenburg's Department of Psychology. He completed his undergraduate studies in psychology, sociology, philosophy, and education, before receiving his psychologist's degree. Hjelmquist defended his doctoral thesis in psychology in 1975 and became an associate professor in 1980, with a full professorship attained in 1994. Throughout his career, he has held several administrative positions, including serving as the head of the Psychology Department for about a decade. His research primarily focuses on language, communication, and cognition, particularly in children and adults with disabilities such as cerebral palsy, ADHD, Asperger syndrome, and autism. A significant portion of Hjelmquist's work has centered around the effects of communication disabilities and the cognitive processes involved in language comprehension and usage among diverse populations, including hearing and deaf individuals. His contributions have greatly enhanced our understanding of how children develop language skills in specific educational and social contexts, thus paving the way for better support mechanisms in psychological and educational settings.

Research Interests