Children’s early experiences physically shape their brain, but this goes both ways for positive and negative experiences. The negative effects of chronic stress have been well established, and it is important to remember that this does not only impact adults but children as well. However, there is no need to fear because of the plasticity of children’s brains; which refers to the brain’s ability to change and adapt.

The brain’s response to chronic stress can “be buffered and even reversed” because of plasticity, and early intervention is a crucial aspect. Warm and nurturing relationships in particular have been found to help counteract the neurobiological response to stress, and warm and nurturing relationships do not only have to be between biological parents. Intervention programs have been designed to do exactly this, and so far the results have been promising.

 

If you want to read more click Here! 

Kaitlyn Vitucci

UConn KIDS, Research Assistant

The goals in our lives are the little things in life that drive us. We work towards developing various small and big goals throughout our lives. These goals range from a wide range of topics such as athletic, social, personal, and academic goals, but what does this look like in elementary school?

This research article examines various achievement goals made by students in Germany when studying math. This study resulted in some interesting findings when it came to goal habits, retention, and creation. For example, only a third of participants were found to have kept their academic goal the same across the whole timeline of this study!

To learn more about this study, click here!

Mikayla Clemens

Research Assistant, UConn KIDS

In the 21st century, researchers have discovered new, more effective methods of bringing up children. Outdated assumptions in use today can thus be quite harmful in their development. 

The “Kids Today Project”, created by Richard Neville and his team, was designed to view complex issues of development through the child’s eyes via a head-mounted camera. This allowed the researchers to see exactly what the child sees to understand their perspective of the big, endless moving world. 

So, what did they discover? Regardless of location, culture, differences, and situations, children shared one common theme: an immense desire to learn. 

The research illustrated that children must learn to take control of their own lives. If they don’t then how can we expect them to develop skills needed in adulthood? 

To watch the full Ted Talk, click here! 

Ashley Bejar, UConn KIDS Research Assistant

Siblings are often our first friends, rivals, and role models, and research shows they play a big role in shaping who we become. This article delves into what can be learned by exploring sibling interactions and how they influence our social, emotional, and behavioral development. Siblings generally spend a lot of time together where they learn to share, deal with conflict, and support one another. With that being said, all sibling relationships differ. The context and roles that they play within families also influence one’s development. For example, older siblings tend to be more influential role models.  

An interesting finding was that individuals who grew up with a sibling with a disability or chronic illness display warmer characteristics. They tend to take on more parenting roles in life and have more of an aptitude for adjusting in life. 

This research highlights the importance of fostering good sibling relationships and recognizing the lasting impact they can have throughout a person’s life. Positive sibling relationships can lead to better social skills, academic success, and emotional health. On the flip side, negative sibling relationships can contribute to conflicts and behavioral issues. 

 

If you want to read more, click here! 

 

Rachel Silverman 

UConn KIDS, Research Assistant 

Welcome back to Trivia Tuesday!

This week’s question is: _______ deals with how cognitive processes— such as reasoning, perception and memory— change over time.

A. Cognitive development

B. Perceptual development

C. Moral development

D. Attachment theory

 

Last week’s question was…”True or False: The brain starts to grow as a neural tube?” The answer is true!

Tune in next week to find out the answer to this weeks question!

Hi! My name is Rachel Silverman and I am a research assistant for UConn KIDS. I am a junior Allied Health Major with a double minor in Psychology and American Sign Language. My career goal is to become a Pediatric Occupational Therapist. I have always had a passion for working with children and knew that it was something that I wanted to tie into my future career.

Some fun facts about me I am from Tinton Falls, NJ. I love the beach, it is my absolute happy place. I have a dog named Pudding! I love to travel, I had the opportunity to go to Italy, France, and Greece this past summer. It was amazing! I volunteer for an early intervention program where I was introduced to the world of Occupational Therapy and instantly fell in love. Learning about childhood development is something I learned that I am passionate about and am always eager to learn more.

Parenting stress and child behavior issues are closely connected, but it’s not just parents impacting their kids, but children also influence their parents. This study looked at over 2,100 families from early childhood to adolescence and explored how stress between parents and children plays out over time. Using the transactional model of development, which emphasizes the two-way relationship between parents and children, the study found that as children get older, especially during adolescence, they play a more active role in shaping their family dynamics.

A key finding of the study was the role maternal affection plays within this dynamic. In families where mothers showed high levels of affection; parenting stress and child behavior problems were more strongly linked. One example: stress that a mother felt when her child was young could predict the child’s behavior problems a few years later. Also as the child grew into adolescence, their behavior could, in turn, increase the mother’s stress. In contrast, in families with lower maternal affection, this back-and-forth wasn’t as strong.

Interestingly, while maternal affection usually helps protect kids from stress, the study found that in highly affectionate families, stress was more likely to be shared between parent and child. This can make it harder for both to cope, especially during the teenage years when kids become more aware of their parents’ emotions. For families facing additional challenges like financial stress or racial stress, understanding how affection and stress interact could help them better manage these emotional dynamics as their children grow.

To read the full study, click here.

 

Jasleen Kaur, UConn KIDS Research Assistant.

As infants experience the world, they begin to learn from the environment around them. They consider the people around them, how the speak, and how others react to their behaviors. This helps infants learn about human emotions and understand what each emotion is. In this literature review, it talks about what previous research has found regarding infant’s social-emotional development. It covers a wide range of topics in developmental processes such as attention, memory, and word learning and how past research has measured development. It is truly an interesting read to learn more about the development of emotions!

To read today’s article, click here!

 

Mikayla Clemens

Research Assistant

UConn KIDS