A longitudinal study found that children from low-income households who experienced consistently high-quality home learning environments were more ready for school. The quality of their environment over time predicted their readiness skills.
A new longitudinal study found that children who feel more responsible to their parents stay engaged in school and perform better. The study, conducted in the US and China, suggests that parents should communicate to teenagers the importance of acting responsibly as they enter middle school.
A longitudinal study of 140 children aged 4-13 found that younger children's earliest memories changed over time, while older children became more consistent in their recollections. Children who were between 4 and 7 years old showed little overlap between memories recalled at two different ages.
A recent study of over 350 families found that marital instability when children are 9 months old can lead to sleep problems by 18 months. The research suggests that parents should be aware of the potential impact of marital stress on their child's well-being during the first year or two of life.
New research finds that teens use peers as a metric for autonomy, with younger girls wanting more freedom than older boys. Teens consistently overestimate their peers' levels of autonomy, assuming they have more freedoms than themselves.
The symposium aims to address food insecurity in North America, focusing on its effects on child development and academic, health, and socio-emotional problems. Researchers will explore current government and charitable programs, their similarities and differences, and public policy implications.
Researchers are exploring how fathers contribute to their children's cognitive development, emotional well-being, and social skills. Studies will examine the role of fathers in rural American communities, Israeli families, and low-income African American households, shedding light on the often-overlooked impact of fathering on childhood
Extracurricular activities affect children's and adolescents' mental health, with excessive involvement linked to depression, loneliness, and risky behavior. Research explores the threshold effect beyond which benefits stabilize or decline.
Researchers worldwide investigate factors driving teen civic involvement, aiming to inform efforts boosting youth participation. The symposium in Montréal will explore how cultural, social, and individual elements influence civic engagement among adolescents.
Researchers examine daily variation in teenagers' sleep and its effects on well-being, academic performance, and stress levels. The symposium aims to better understand how sleep patterns influence adolescent development and overall health.
The symposium aims to address the effects of victimization on sexual-minority youths, including risks of being victimized at school and predictors of peer acceptance. Researchers will discuss findings on academic outcomes for sexual-minority adolescents and the impact of peer acceptance on their school experiences.
A new study finds that working more than 20 hours a week in high school can lead to declines in school engagement, increases in problem behavior, and negligible effects on academics when working 20 hours or less per week. Researchers recommend monitoring and constraining work hours for enrolled students.
A new study found that children's body mass index (BMI) rises with the number of years their mothers worked, especially among children in grades 5 and 6. The researchers suggest that limited time for grocery shopping and food preparation may contribute to this link.
A new study finds that family interactions during mealtime significantly impact the health of children with persistent asthma. Families who engage in meaningful conversations and turn off electronic devices report better health outcomes for their children.
A new study finds that children from difficult home and lower-quality child care experience more social-emotional problems. However, high-quality child care may help make up for these challenges by providing a safe emotional space to grow and learn.
A large-scale meta-analysis of school-based social and emotional learning programs found improved social and emotional skills, caring attitudes, and positive social behaviors in students. Students also performed better on achievement tests, with a 11-percentile-point gain in achievement.
A cost-benefit analysis of the Child-Parent Center program found significant economic benefits for disadvantaged children, including increased earnings and savings. The program resulted in higher rates of college attendance and employment in higher-skilled jobs, as well as lower rates of felony arrests and depression.
Research shows that young children are sensitive to others' moral behaviors and intentions, helping less when they see harm or intention behind an action. This suggests children's moral development is more complex than previously thought.
A new study found that social pressures differ for teens in different racial/ethnic groups and that school characteristics play a role. For African American and Native American teenagers, higher GPAs led to decreased feelings of social acceptance, while White teens and others saw increased social acceptance with higher GPAs.
A study by researchers at The Pennsylvania State University found that when teachers call attention to gender, children express stereotyped views and preferences. In classrooms where teachers avoided gender divisions, children showed no change in responses or behaviors.
A longitudinal study found that infants who get most of their sleep at night perform better in skill areas such as executive functioning, which includes controlling impulses, remembering things, and showing mental flexibility. The research suggests that good nighttime sleep in infancy sets the stage for later executive skills.
A new study found that preschool participation has a positive impact on children's literacy skills, regardless of their socioeconomic status. Low-income children, particularly those from Black families, experience the greatest benefits, while nonpoor Black youngsters also show considerable improvements.
A recent study reveals that LGBTQ youth in secondary schools are at a high risk of bullying and harassment, compromising their emotional and behavioral health. The authors recommend policy changes and strategies to foster safer school environments for all students.
A new study found that cognitive skills in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) vary from child to child and can improve over time. The research, conducted in Western Australia, assessed 37 children with ASD and 31 typically developing children at ages 5-6 and again three years later.
A new study suggests that more quality instructional time spent with teachers and less free play time without teacher guidance can prepare children better for starting kindergarten. Low-income children benefit particularly from individual instruction settings.
A longitudinal study of low-income children found that high-quality preschool settings reduce externalizing behavior problems in middle childhood. High-quality child care is particularly important for boys and African American children.
Most children develop contagious yawning by age 4, while those with autism spectrum disorders are less likely to yawn in response to others. Children with more severe autistic symptoms show the least yawn contagion, suggesting empathy and social cues may be delayed in development
A new study finds that training can eliminate the gender gap in spatial abilities in first graders, a promising direction for improving girls' math and science skills. The research suggests that early intervention programs can help level the playing field and provide equal opportunities for girls to excel in these areas.
Researchers found that former child soldiers who returned to communities with low violence levels had better mental health outcomes. The studies suggest that children who experienced trauma such as rape or killing others showed higher levels of hostility over time, highlighting the need for targeted social and mental health services.
Two studies on Sri Lankan youths who survived the 2004 tsunami and civil war found that traumatic events and daily stressors like domestic violence have a significant impact on their psychological health. Researchers highlight the need for holistic policies and programs to reduce ongoing stressors.
Longitudinal studies found higher rates of behavior problems among preschool children exposed to 9/11, particularly if their mothers suffered from PTSD and depression. Direct exposure played a small but significant role in explaining the severity of mental health symptoms.
Researchers found that rebuilding schools and supportive relationships helped reduce trauma symptoms in children, but over a quarter still struggled with PTSD three years later. A second study discovered distinct stress patterns between male and female teens after the hurricane.
A new study found that increased parent involvement across elementary school years is associated with fewer problem behaviors and better social skills, but no impact on academic performance. The Study of Early Childcare and Youth Development followed over 1,300 children from birth to fifth grade.
A new study published in Child Development found that children whose minds are stimulated in multiple early childhood settings have higher achievement in elementary school. The research highlights the importance of improving coordination among parents, preschool classrooms, and elementary schools to boost children's achievement.
A study on preschoolers in licensed day care homes found that children's cortisol levels increase when they are in care, exceeding home levels. Cortisol increases are larger in day care homes where providers are overcontrolling.
A longitudinal study of over 1,300 children found that early child care quality predicts higher test scores in cognitive and academic achievement, fewer behavior problems, and less impulsivity. The study supports the idea that early childhood experiences can have long-lasting effects on teenagers' development.
Children from poor families experience higher levels of externalizing and internalizing symptoms when they sleep poorly. In contrast, getting a good night's sleep protects against behavioral problems in minority children.
Research found that 18-month-old gesturing in brain-injured children can predict later vocabulary delays; the study suggests that gesture may be a diagnostic tool for identifying children who will experience persistent language delay. The findings have both therapeutic and diagnostic implications.
A large-scale Dutch study finds that bullies aim to gain status by dominating victims, while avoiding social rejection from peers. The study also reveals that gender plays a significant role in bullying behavior.
A study found that children distinguish between moral and personal domain rules, with moral rules associated with compliance and feelings of good emotions, while personal domain rules lead to disobedience and positive emotional experience for the child.
A longitudinal study found that teenagers' input into decisions gradually increased from ages 9 to 14, then surged from 15 to 20. Young people had more autonomy in decisions about appearance, activities, schoolwork, and social life than chores, health, and curfew.
Children with insecure attachments have repeated experiences of caregivers responding inconsistently, leading to behavioral problems like aggression and hostility. The meta-analysis of 69 studies found that early insecure attachment to mothers is associated with later behavioral issues in children, including boys.
A new study published in Child Development found that children who spend more time in institutional care perform worse on tests of visual memory and attention, but make significant cognitive advances once adopted. Early deprivation can have lasting impacts on brain development.
A new study of young children in Romanian orphanages found that early foster care significantly improved secure attachments to caregivers compared to those placed after age 2. The Bucharest Early Intervention Project, a randomized controlled trial, suggests foster care can be a powerful intervention for vulnerable children.
A study of 58 Ukrainian children with and without HIV found that family care was better for children's physical growth and cognitive performance than institutional care. The quality of the relationship between caregivers and children had a significant impact on their development.
A longitudinal study of 80 Canadian mom-baby pairs found that mothers who used effective parenting techniques, such as responding quickly to requests and encouraging problem-solving strategies, helped their children develop better executive functioning skills. This skillset is crucial for later school success and social competence.
A new longitudinal study suggests that highly reactive children are more likely to do well when raised in supportive, nurturing, and encouraging environments. The researchers found that such children were more affected by family adversity but also more likely to thrive in low-stress families due to their sensitivity.
A study of over 500 low-income children found that early abuse can lead to more frequent and severe depression, with distinct cortisol regulation patterns. Children who experienced maltreatment before age 5 showed atypical cortisol production, indicating compromised stress systems.
A longitudinal study found that pregnant mothers who experience depression are four times more likely to have children exhibiting violent behavior at age 16. The study suggests a link between maternal depression during pregnancy and increased antisocial behavior in children, with no apparent influence from family environment factors.
A new study found that children develop an awareness of racial stereotypes early on, leading to damaging biases in social interactions and academic performance. Awareness of these biases can negatively impact standardized test results, particularly for African American and Latino youths.