A new study found a significant association between Head Start teachers' depressive symptoms and their students' math achievement, with the linkage being through the quality of family-teacher relationships. This relationship was found to affect children's motivation, engagement, and persistence in learning.
A new longitudinal study found that sleep health is related to observed classroom behavior and predicts future academic achievement among primarily Black children growing up in historically disinvested neighborhoods. Higher teacher-reported child sleepiness was associated with lower adaptive behaviors and higher behavior problems.
A longitudinal study found that parents modify their home literacy environment according to their children's progress in learning to read. Access to literacy resources was a consistent predictor of emergent literacy over time. Parents also adjusted their reading comprehension activities with their children as they encountered reading d...
Adolescents who experience early puberty are more likely to drink alcohol, with peer drinking and parental permissiveness contributing to this risk. Early maturing girls are particularly vulnerable, with a higher likelihood of binge drinking and substance use disorders.
Researchers at the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) presented their latest findings on various child development topics. Key presentations include discussions on how COVID-19 has altered screen use among children and strategies to promote social justice in developmental science.
A new longitudinal study revealed that overhearing a stranger's negative comments about a social group can have a lasting impact on children's attitudes. Children aged 7-9 who overheard negative messages drew themselves further from the group and were less willing to be friends with someone from the group.
A meta-analysis of studies with monolingual and bilingual children found that they generally favor native speakers over non-native speakers. However, children raised in diverse environments may have a greater awareness of linguistic-based group differences.
A longitudinal study found that prosocial behavior in young children can protect against academic risk in low-socioeconomic neighborhoods. Children who displayed high levels of helping behavior had better academic outcomes compared to those with low levels of prosocial behavior.
A new longitudinal study examines relations between parenting, culture, and prosocial behaviors in U.S. Mexican youth, finding both universal and culturally-specific factors contribute to fostering helpful behavior. Cultural practices like ethnic socialization and familism values play a crucial role in supporting prosocial development.
A new study by Columbia University researchers found that children but not adults report 'mean' individuals becoming nicer after severe punishment. Adults, however, believe that 'nice' individuals become less nice following incarceration. The study suggests that with age, people in the US become increasingly pessimistic about punishmen...
A longitudinal study in Germany found that autonomy-supportive parenting is positively associated with better child well-being and higher parental need fulfillment. This type of parenting requires parental energy but also reciprocally contributes to it.
A new longitudinal study published in Child Development found that African American youth who receive positive messages about their racial group in school achieve better grades one to two years later. The study suggests that a positive sense of community and interdependence is key to success for these students.
Research suggests that peer defender programs can disempower victims, reinforce bullying, and erode support for them. Schools should be wary of these strategies to reduce risks to vulnerable students.
Infants who are fed in the absence of hunger or beyond fullness may develop skewed perceptions of hunger and fullness, increasing their risk of obesity. Caregiver-infant interactions during feeding can shape infants' self-regulation of energy intake, with feeding responsiveness to cues being linked to obesity.
A new longitudinal study found that teenagers whose parents are overbearing experience difficulties in social relationships and educational attainment by adulthood. The study, published in Child Development, suggests that overcontrolling parenting can stunt adolescent development and lead to long-term problems.
A new study explored the relationships between pubertal changes, ethnic-racial identity, and mental health in young African American and Caribbean Black males. The study found that positive levels of ethnic-racial identity buffered the effects of early puberty, leading to higher self-esteem and lower symptoms of depression. The finding...
A new longitudinal study examines the depressive effects of emotional abuse and neglect on adolescents, revealing distinct impacts depending on gender and ethnicity. Emotional abuse predicts depression in girls, while emotional neglect affects Hispanic adolescents' symptoms through decreased school engagement.
A longitudinal study in Germany found that classmates' gender stereotypes have a negative effect on boys' reading outcomes, including lower motivation and achievement. In contrast, girls experienced positive effects from their classmates' stereotypes. The study suggests that reducing stereotypical behaviors in classrooms can help creat...
Research by Peng and Kievit found a bidirectional relationship between academic achievement and cognitive abilities, with sustained education fostering children's growth. Short-term training may be insufficient to improve academic performance due to modest effects that take time to develop.
A new study found that higher birthweight is associated with better cognitive and socioemotional outcomes in preschoolers, particularly for those from lower-income families. Weighing more than a twin at birth may predict greater school readiness and improved behavior.
A Dutch study found that children who engage in positive self-talk about effort improve their math performance, particularly those with negative beliefs about ability. This strategy can be a simple and effective way for children to boost their academic achievement.
A new UK study suggests that single motherhood is associated with lower verbal cognitive abilities in children, even after controlling for mothers' education and age at birth. Children who lived with a single mother before age 11 had lower verbal cognitive attainment than those whose parents stayed together.
A new study examined whether young children's verbal engagement with an onscreen interactive media character could boost their math skills. Children who had stronger emotional feelings for the character and talked more to the character about math had quicker and more accurate math responses during virtual game play.
A new study found that showing young children examples of gender-nonconforming peers who exhibit positive traits reduced bias against them. The intervention was tested on 315 Hong Kong Chinese children aged 4-9 years old.
A new study found that poverty worsened the working memory of refugee youth, while exposure to war-related trauma did not have lasting impacts on executive function. The researchers suggest that addressing ongoing poverty is crucial for improving learning outcomes and educational achievement in adolescents affected by war.
A new US study found that preschool-age children's persistence in the face of challenges is influenced by adults' actions, successes, and failures. When adults succeed at a task, speaking about the value of effort encourages persistence in children. Conversely, failure can discourage children from persisting.
A new study found that children are interested in politics and can provide information about candidates, but have gaps in their knowledge. The researchers argue that children need more input and guidance from adults to learn about politics and government.
A new study found that adolescents who engage in more fun-seeking behaviors tend to exhibit both risk-taking and prosocial behavior. Researchers also discovered that faster brain development in certain regions is associated with less rebellious behavior.
A longitudinal study found that a preschool quality improvement program boosted participants' high school grades, partly due to gains in math and vocabulary made in preschool. The study also suggests that short-term improvements in basic skills laid the groundwork for advanced academic competencies over time.
A new Dutch study found that children of older parents tend to have fewer externalizing behavior problems, such as aggression, but not internalizing behaviors like anxiety and depression. The researchers analyzed data from over 32,000 Dutch children born after 1980.
A new study found that many Indigenous North American youth experience depressive symptoms during adolescence, with risk factors including discrimination and early puberty. The study identified four developmental patterns of depressive symptoms, with nearly 33% of participants meeting criteria for alcohol-use disorder.
A meta-analysis found that attributing hostile intent is positively related to aggression, with the strongest link in emotionally engaging situations. This general thinking tendency guides how children process information across various contexts.
A new longitudinal study found that playing video games did not affect boys' social development, but girls who played more frequently at age 10 had weaker social skills two years later. The study suggests that gaming may be a way for socially struggling youth to cope with feelings of isolation and loneliness.
A new study found that a home-visiting intervention for parents of maltreated children significantly improved their children's compliance at age 3. The intervention increased parents' sensitivity, which partially mediated the effect on child behavior.
A new study found that children in regions affected by major bushfires demonstrated poorer academic outcomes in some subjects compared to those in less affected areas. The researchers tracked the academic performance of elementary-school children over a four-year period after the Black Saturday bushfires in Australia.
A longitudinal study found that skills learned in friendships with peers of the same gender were strongest predictors of later romantic satisfaction. Adolescents' progress in social developmental tasks, such as establishing positive relationships and managing peer relationships, predicted future romantic competence.
Research found that increased brain activity in response to infants' facial cues from pregnancy to motherhood is associated with more positive relationships with the baby. Mothers who showed such increases reported stronger bonds with their infants after birth.
A longitudinal study found that having a good relationship with a sibling can protect against the negative consequences of witnessing repeated hostility between parents. Siblings who had good bonds were less likely to experience distress and subsequent mental health problems.
Researchers found that parents' explanations of how peers interact help young children view their peers' behavior with less hostility. Framing social situations in a positive way can reduce the likelihood of aggressive behavior.
Research suggests that younger toddlers benefit more from interactive digital media than traditional TV and videos. Interactive features help children connect screen experiences to real-world interactions. However, not all types of interactivity are beneficial, and individual differences play a significant role in learning outcomes.
A new study found that middle school students' attitudes toward interacting with peers from different ethnic and racial groups are significantly influenced by their friends. Students with more positive attitudes about diversity tend to have more open-minded peer relationships, which can spread positively.
A longitudinal study found that siblings' experiences in middle childhood, including warmth, father-child interaction, and perceptions of fairness, predicted differences in their college graduation status. The study highlights the importance of parents' involvement and treatment in shaping their children's educational outcomes.
Researchers found that observing others' helping behavior enhances infants' prosocial development, particularly when adults model helpful behaviors. The study suggests that having prosocial role models plays a crucial role in shaping young children's helping habits.
A meta-analysis of 20,000 US children's drawings found that females are depicted as scientists more frequently today, with a rise from 1% to 28%, yet still less than males. The study suggests that stereotypes have weakened over time and may inspire girls to pursue science interests
Researchers found that a combination of teaching parents how to manage behavior and relationship-building strategies was more effective than just behavior-management strategies for reducing severe disruptive behavior. For children who haven't developed severe behavioral issues, only behavior-management strategies were beneficial.
A longitudinal study of adoptive families found that mothers' and fathers' symptoms of depression are related to harsh, over-reactive parenting. Social support networks play a crucial role in mitigating these effects. The study suggests that parents with depressed spouses should prioritize self-care and social connections.
A longitudinal study found that both younger and older siblings positively influence each other's empathic concern over time. The researchers observed an ethnically diverse group of sibling pairs and their mothers, measuring children's empathy through behavioral and facial responses.
A new study found that young children do not endorse beliefs about race as natural determinants, but instead expect behavior to be shaped by the environment. The extent to which these beliefs develop varies depending on exposure to diversity in neighborhoods and child care.
A new study found positive associations between voting, volunteering, and activism with health, education, and income outcomes in adulthood. However, activism was also associated with more risky health behaviors in adulthood. The study suggests that civic engagement can build community and fulfill social needs.
A new study found that young people who have good contact with their grandparents have the lowest levels of ageism. Poor quality of contact was the most important factor associated with ageist stereotypes in children and adolescents.