A new study of adolescents finds that youth who mentally step back from their thoughts can deal with negative emotions more effectively and become less upset by them. This self-distancing technique was found to be associated with less emotional distress and greater insights into the experience.
A new meta-analysis found that preschoolers and school-age children who can identify what others want, think, and feel are more popular in school than their peers. The study also found a weaker link between theory of mind and popularity for boys, highlighting potential gender differences in social interactions.
A new study finds that children with mild levels of intellectual disability can recall and provide accurate descriptions of maltreatment experiences. Children with more severe intellectual disabilities can also provide useful information but face challenges in recalling events.
A longitudinal study found that mental health improved among Latino adolescents over three years, but discrimination-related stress had a more detrimental effect on native-born immigrants. The study highlights the importance of considering discrimination in therapy sessions to help Latino youth flourish.
A new study found that teachers with higher symptoms of depression had classrooms of lesser quality, resulting in lower math performance gains for students. Schools need mental health support systems to help teachers cope with chronic stress.
A study found that premature birth impairs a subtle but important aspect of memory: recalling context, such as what, when, and where. The hippocampus region is smaller in preterm children, affecting contextual recollection-based retrieval.
A new study has found that sensitive caregiving in early childhood predicts an individual's social competence and academic achievement, persisting into adulthood. The quality of parent-child interactions during the first three years of life plays a unique role in promoting successful development.
A longitudinal study found that children with a behaviorally inhibited temperament and insecure parent-infant attachment are more likely to develop social anxiety in adolescence. This association is strongest among youth who reacted angrily to separation from their parents as infants.
Research finds that physically active children outperform their inactive peers in the classroom and on tests of achievement. Physical activity is associated with larger brain volumes, increased concentration, and enhanced attention spans.
Conflicts at home and school often occur together, with family problems increasing the likelihood of school issues, while school problems can also lead to conflicts at home. The study found that negative mood and psychological symptoms play a key role in this spillover process.
Children in high-quality early childhood education and care centers are less affected by changes in family income. Research found that low-income families' children exhibit more behavioral issues when their income decreases, but those attending regulated centers show stable levels of internalizing problems.
A new longitudinal study found that teens whose parents exerted more psychological control at age 13 had problems establishing friendships and romantic relationships with balanced closeness and independence. The study suggests that parents' use of psychological control can hinder teens' development of autonomy in relationships.
A new study found that parents' separation significantly increases children's behavior problems in higher-income families, particularly if the separation occurs before age 6. In contrast, moving into a stepparent family improves children's behavior only when it happens after age 6 in high-income families.
A new study found that mothers with positive childhood experiences and those who have come to terms with negative ones are more infant-oriented when seeing videos of crying babies. Mothers who responded negatively to crying were more likely to focus on themselves, indicating a need for stress management support.
A new study reveals that early life stress affects the way genes are activated, leading to long-term emotional and physical health problems. Researchers found an association between a particular gene and parenting styles, which can impact children's brain development and stress response.
A meta-analysis of 49 studies found that community service with reflection has a substantial, beneficial effect on adolescents' academic, personal, social, and civic development. Structured reflection is crucial to the overall impact of community service.
A new study of identical twins found that early reading skills are positively associated with later intellectual abilities. The researchers tested 1,890 pairs of twins from ages 7 to 16 and found a link between reading ability and intelligence.
A decade-long study found that teens who acted cool in early adolescence were more likely to experience problems in early adulthood, including substance abuse and criminal activity. By age 22, these teens were rated as less competent in social relationships and had engaged in more serious behaviors.
Research suggests that children of parents using subsidies for center-based care at age 2 are more likely to use Head Start or public prekindergarten two years later. This finding highlights the potential benefits of early subsidy programs in strengthening low-income children's development.
By 9 months, babies can recognize a picture of an object and act on it when presented with the actual object, suggesting they form mental images of objects through pictures. This ability strengthens their ideas of an object even after it disappears from view.
A new study found that using nouns like 'helper' instead of verbs like 'helping' motivates young children to participate in household tasks. The researchers used two experiments with over 150 preschoolers and found significant differences in helping behavior between the two groups.
A longitudinal study found that working memory differences existing at age 10 persist through adolescence, with parents' education being a significant predictor. Neighborhood characteristics were not related to working memory performance.
A new study by the University of California, Irvine, found that Head Start is more beneficial for children from homes with less early academic stimulation. The program improved math, literacy, and receptive vocabulary skills in these children, who scored lower initially but gained more from participating.
A new study found that iron deficiency is associated with lower IQ scores and poorer higher-order thinking skills in children adopted from institutions. Children with more severe iron deficiency were more likely to have impaired cognitive functioning, regardless of their general cognitive ability.
African American youth experiencing frequent discrimination during adolescence are at risk for chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes. Emotional support from parents and peers can protect against stress-related damage.
A meta-analysis of 46 studies found that positive feelings about race or ethnicity are associated with fewer symptoms of depression and emotional problems. Minority youth who feel positively about their racial or ethnic identity tend to have better social interactions, self-esteem, and academic performance.
A new longitudinal study of 816 toddlers found that shy children understand language as well as their less shy peers but struggle to express themselves. The research suggests that interventions targeting confidence and social competence can support the development of expressive language in these children.
A new study analyzed data on 1,400 preschoolers and 325 teachers to understand the impact of different types of teacher-child interactions. The research found that responsive teaching, cognitive facilitation, and structured classroom environment were crucial for supporting children's academic progress and social development.
Research found that early spatial and written language skills predict later math competence in children, with strong oral language skills not contributing to math ability. Children with better spatial skills and knowledge of written letters showed stronger math performance and rapid advancement over time.
Research shows that high-quality preschool programs can have significant impacts on children's early learning, reduce disparities, and benefit middle-class children. Coaching teachers to implement engaging curricula is key to quality education.
A new study found that cross-ethnic friendships in urban middle schools help youths feel less vulnerable and safer. This research suggests that diverse classrooms with opportunities for students from different ethnic groups to interact can lead to reduced loneliness and victimization.
A new study found that responsive interactions are crucial for toddlers' language learning, particularly when compared to video instruction. When conversing with a person or in a live video chat, children learn new words and use them to label actions.
A new study published in Child Development found that playing with blocks improves preschoolers' spatial skills, which support later math-related learning. Low-income children, who often lag behind in spatial skills, can particularly benefit from block play to close the gap.
A new longitudinal study found that using harsh verbal discipline with teenagers can lead to detrimental outcomes later, including increased depressive symptoms and conduct problems. The study suggests that parents who use harsh verbal discipline may inadvertently increase their children's behavioral issues.
A new study of 46,000 parents in 17 low- and middle-income countries found that children with disabilities are more likely to experience physical and severe physical discipline. This highlights the need for policies and interventions to protect children with disabilities from abuse and promote positive parenting practices.
A longitudinal study of over 1,300 youths found that early school engagement is crucial in avoiding problem behaviors and eventual dropout. The study highlights the importance of creating a supportive learning environment that fosters emotional well-being and competence.
A new study identifies poor planning skills as a contributing factor to the income-achievement gap in children, which can emerge as early as kindergarten. The study found that lower household income during infancy is associated with poorer performance on reading and math in fifth grade.
Researchers investigate early social experiences and their impact on adolescent brain function, exploring factors like negative life events and relationship quality. The study aims to understand long-term associations between early social experiences and later brain development.
The symposium aims to address family dynamics and nutrition policies to prevent childhood obesity. Research focuses on mealtime behavior, parenting strategies, and the impact of changes to the Special Supplemental Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) on low-income minority families.
A symposium hosted by the Society for Research in Child Development aims to investigate how educational media fosters early learning in young children. The event will focus on topics such as interactive media characters, touchscreens, and popular shows like Sesame Street.
The law impacts self-esteem, risky behavior, community safety, stress, and health among Latino youth and families. The symposium explores the effects of S.B. 1070 on their well-being.
The symposium aims to explore how parents' deployment affects children's well-being, mental health, and ability to achieve developmental tasks. Researchers will examine the role of combat-related injuries and discuss effective ways to treat post-deployment family struggles.
Research examines how social media influences child development, including social-emotional learning, interpersonal dynamics, and emotional connections. The symposium explores the impact of new forms of media on social skills, value systems, and relationships among children and young adults.
A new longitudinal study found that teens who struggled to connect with their peers in early adolescence were more likely to have difficulty establishing close friendships in young adulthood. Conversely, those who established autonomy and independence from peer influences had lower risks of problems with alcohol and substance use.
The Boston Public Schools' prekindergarten program has significantly improved children's language, literacy, math, executive function, and emotional development skills. The study found that the program, which uses research-based curricula and coaching of teachers, was particularly beneficial for Latino children.
A study by Cornell University and National Employment Law Project found that poor children who move three or more times before age 5 experience more attention problems, anxiousness, depression, aggressiveness, or hyperactivity.
A new study found that marital conflict in children can harm their stress response systems, leading to slower mental and intellectual development. Children who witnessed more conflict showed less adaptive responses to stress, particularly those with lower resting stress levels.
A new study published in Child Development found that children as young as 4 think boys are academically inferior to girls and believe adults share these stereotypes. Conveying egalitarian messages can help close the gender gap by refraining from practices like dividing classes by gender, according to researchers.
A new longitudinal study found that toddlers whose parents praised their efforts more than they praised them as individuals had a more positive approach to challenges five years later. Process praise was shown to improve children's persistence and performance on challenging tasks.
A new study found that teaching teenagers that people can change reduces aggressive reactions to peer conflicts. The research suggests that believing people's traits are fixed leads teens to respond aggressively, but an intervention that teaches the potential for change can reduce this behavior.