Dr Pavithra K S Godamunne
BSc(Hons) Psychology(East London), MA Psychology(Delhi), PhD(Kelaniya)
PG Certificate in Health Professions Education, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka
Senior Lecturer (Grade I)
Head of the Department
Department of Medical Education
Head of the Department
Department of Medical Education
Specialization
Developmental Psychology, Health Professions Education
Research Interests
- Early childhood development
- Teaching and learning
- Stress, resilience and coping
- Behavioural change and life style interventions
- development and validation of psychometric assessments
Publications
Publications in Peer Reviewed Journals
- Tewari A, Praveen D, Madhira P, Josyula LK, Joshi R, Kokku SB, Garg V, Rawal I, Chopra K, Chakma N, Ahmed S, Pathmeswaran A, Godamunne P, Lata AS, Sahay R, Patel T, Gupta Y, Tandon N, Naheed A, Patel A and Kapoor D (2020) Feasibility of a Lifestyle Intervention Program for Prevention of Diabetes Among Women With Prior Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (LIVING Study) in South Asia: A Formative Research Study. Front. Glob. Womens Health 1:587607. doi: 10.3389/fgwh.2020.58760
- Sathiakumar, N, Tipre, M., Godamunne, P., Kasturiratne, A., Nandasena, S., Larson, R., ; U, Wimalasiri, U., Perera, P, Levitan E., & Wickremasinghe, R (2019) Prenatal exposure to indoor PM2.5 and infant neurodevelopment at 1.5 and 3.0 years in Sri Lanka. Environmental Epidemiology, 3, 439-440 doi: 10.1097/01.EE9.0000610952.88495.20
- Salam, A., Webster, R., Patel, A., Godamunne, P., Pathmeswaran, A., de Silva, H. A., Rogers, A., Jan, S. & Laba, T. L. (2018). Process evaluation of a randomised controlled trial of a pharmacological strategy to improve hypertension control: protocol for a qualitative study. BMJ open, 8(8), e022317. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2018-022317
- Jayasuriya R., Pinidiyapathirage M.J., Jayawardena, R., Kasturiratne A., de Zoysa P., Godamunne P., Gamage S. & Wickremasinghe, A.R. (2015) Translational research for Diabetes Self-Management in Sri Lanka: A randomized controlled trial. Primary Care Diabetes, doi: 10.1016/j.pcd.2015.01.014
- Godamunne P., Liyanage C., Wimaladharmasooriya N., Pathmeswaran A., Wickremasinghe A.R., Patterson C. & Sathiakumar N. (2014) Comparison of performance of Sri Lankan and US children on cognitive and motor scales of the Bayley scales of infant development. BMC Research Notes, 7: 300, doi: https://doi.org/10.1186/1756-0500-7-300
- Godamunne, P.(2008) Sri Lankan parents’ attitudes towards adolescent reproductive and sexual health education needs: A qualitative study in A.R. Wickremasinghe & A. Pathmeswaran (Eds) A Collection of Research Papers on Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health, Faculty of Medicine: Ragama, pp 39-69
- Marambe, K & Godamunne, P. (2020) Empowering Students in M. Chandratilake & A. Olupeliyawa (Eds) 14 Topics in Medical Education: A Guide to Practical Wisdom. (pp53-61) Colombo: College of Medical Educationists, Sri Lanka
- Godamunne, P. (2020) Mentorship in M. Chandratilake & A. Olupeliyawa (Eds) 14 Topics in Medical Education: A Guide to Practical Wisdom. (pp62 -72) Colombo: College of Medical Educationists, Sri Lanka
- Godamunne, P. Overview of learning disorders in preschool children and tips for classroom management in Wijerathne, L., Perera, M. & Wickramesinghe, R (Eds) Inclusive Preschool Education For Children with Disabilities, Plan Sri Lanka, 2014
Publications in Conference Proceedings (Oral and Poster Presentations)
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Caldera, A., Muttiah, N., Wijesinghe, T., Godamunne, P., Chathurika, E., Jayasena, B., Wickremasinghe, R., Perera, M., Tilakarathne, D., Peiris, K., & Sumanasena, S. (2020, February). Development and internal consistency of a screening tool for assessing neurodevelopment delay in children between 3- 5 years. Paper presented at the meeting of the Colombo Medical Congress 2020, Sri Lanka
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Caldera, A., Muttiah, N., Wijesinghe, T., Godamunne, P., Chathurika, E., Jayasena, B., Wickremasinghe, R., Perera, M., Tilakarathne, D., Peiris, K., & Sumanasena, S. (2018). Designing a tool to monitor development of 2-5 year-old children by preschool teachers in Sri Lanka: A Preliminary Report., Sri Lanka Medical Association Quarterly, Volume 63 (1)
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Godamunne, P., Hewavisenthi, J., Chandratilake, M. & Badanasinghe, N. (2017) Exploring reasoning behind visual diagnosis in histopathology: A qualitative study among Sri Lankan post-graduate trainees, paper presented at the 2nd Symposium of the Studies in Ethical and Clinical Reasoning in Asia (SECRA) Group, held in Taiwan, 8th & 11th November 2017
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Godamunne, P.K.S. (2017) Cognitive and psychological aspects of neurodevelopmental disorders, plenary presentation at the 3rd Biennial Conference of the Sri Lanka Association for Child Development held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, 20-21stJanuary 2017
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Perera, K.M.N., Wijerathne, L., Jayasinghe, C., Kasturiratne, A., Hettiarachchi, S., Fonseka, R., Jayasena, B.N., Siriwardhena, D., Godamunne, P., Dahanayake, W., Pathmeswaran, A., & Wickremasinghe, A.R (2014) Developing a tool to screen for disability among pre-school children: preliminary results. The Ceylon Medical Journal, 59(Supplement 1):61 (Poster Presentation Abstract (PP31), 127th Annual Scientific Sessions, Sri Lanka Medical Association, 2014 Colombo, Sri Lanka)
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Godamunne, P.K.S., Wickremasinghe. A.R., Nandasena, S., Kasturiratne, A., Perera, K.P.J., Pathmeswaran, A., Biasini, F.J. & Sathiakumar, N., (2016). Prenatal and early childhood biomass smoke exposure and child neuro-developmental outcomes, paper presented at the 25th Anniversary International Scientific Conference of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, 6-8th April, 2016
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Godamunne, P.K.S., Liyanage, P.L.C.K., Wimaladharmasooriya Pathmeswaran, A., Wickramesinghe, A.R., Patterson, C. & Sathiakumar, N. (2010) Psychometric Study of the Cognitive and Motor Scales of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development – 3rd Edition with Sri Lankan Infants aged 6, 12 and 24 months, poster presented at 10th South East Asia Regional Scientific Meeting of the International Epidemiological Association, May 23rd-26th , Colombo, Sri Lanka.
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Godamunne, P. (2007), Sri Lankan parents’ attitudes towards adolescent reproductive health education, paper presented at the Research Seminar on Adolescent Reproductive Health, August, 29th-30th at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute organized by the Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya.
Postgraduate student presentations
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Booso, K. & Godamunne, P. (2018) Exploring Posttraumatic Growth in Adult Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse in Sri Lanka, paper presented at the International Postgraduate Research Conference, Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Kelaniya held in December, 2018
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Munasinghe, S.K., Maracek, J. & Godamunne, P. (2017) I am not what you see - The evolving psychosocial factors and the function of resilience in shaping the psychological wellbeing of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adults in urban Sri Lanka, paper presented at the Annual Research Sessions of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Colombo held in November, 2017
Other publications
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Perera, P., Godamunne, P., Nandasena, S., Tipre, M., Wimalasiri, U., Reader, M., Beddage, T., Smith, T., Kasturiratne, A., Sathiakumar, N. & Wickramesinghe, R. (2018) A comparison of Alberta’s Infant Motor Scale and Brazelton Neonatal Behavior Assessment Scale, bioRxiv, 462572, doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/462572
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Godamunne, P. (2014) Overview of learning disorders in preschool children and tips for classroom management, Chapter 5 in Wijeratne, L., Perera, M & Wickramesinghe, R. (Eds) Inclusive Preschool Education for Children with Disabilities, jointly published by Children’s Secreteriat, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya & Plan Sri Lanka
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Godamunne, P. (2008) Sri Lankan parents’ attitudes towards adolescent reproductive and sexual health education needs: A qualitative study in A.R. Wickremasinghe & A. Pathmeswaran (Eds) A Collection of Research Papers on Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health, Faculty of Medicine: Ragama, pp 39-69
Service Functions
Provide psychological assessment and interventions for children, adolescents and families at the Multi-disciplinary Therapy Clinic of the Faculty of Medicine
Professional Contributions
- Positions held and holding in academic and scientific bodies
Council Member, College of Medical Educationists, Sri Lanka 2018/2020
Treasurer, College of Medical Educationists, Sri Lanka, 2020/2022 - Positions held & holding in committees in the Faculty of Medicine & University of Kelaniya
Director, Staff Development Centre, University of Kelaniya, 2020 – present
Head, Department of Medical Education 2018-2020
Staff Development Coordinator, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, 2018-2020
Secretary, Faculty of Medicine Curriculum Committee – 2018 – present
Medical Faculty Responsibilities
- Teaching and coordinating the Professional Development and Family Medicine Strand of the MBBS programme
- Teaching Psychology and Qualitative Research Methods to BSc Speech and Hearing Sciences Students
- Supervision of undergraduate research projects of MBBS and BSc Speech and Hearing Sciences Students
- Teaching on the BSc Occupational Therapy and BSc Physiotherapy External Degree programmes
- Mentoring first year MBBS and BSc Speech and Hearing Science students as a faculty advisor
- Supporting quality assurance activities of the faculty as member of the quality assurance cell of the faculty
Service Functions
- Provide psychological assessments and interventions to children and families part of the health professional team providing service at Ayati, National Centre for Children with Disabilities
- Clinical supervision of students on Clinical Psychology placements at Ayati Centre
- Supervision of MPhil and PhD students
Ongoing Research
- Member of the research team developing an early childhood development screening tool for use with Sri Lankan children