Developmental Psychology Commons^™

Applying A Neurodiversity-Informed Approach To Understanding Resolution In Families Raising A Child With Autism, Emma Manole

Honors College Theses

The first known documentation of the syndrome we today refer to as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) was published by Austrian psychiatrist Leo Kanner (1943), who identified a cluster of disordered symptoms among 11 young children, which he termed “early infantile autism”. Consequently, the psychiatric world became aware of autism as its own disorder separate from schizophrenia or “childhood psychosis” (Wing, 1997). Since then, the ways in which autism is studied, diagnosed, referred to, defined, and treated have seen drastic changes (Blacher & Christensen, 2011) over the course of almost a century. It is only natural that the perceptions held by …

Formal Operational Period, Katie Cunningham, Heidi Kloos

Essays in Developmental Psychology

Consider the following prompt: “If you hit a glass with a feather, the glass will break. Ann hit a glass with the feather. What will happen to the glass?” To answer correctly, one would have to first learn the rule about how the feather will affect the glass. The second step then is to apply the learned rule in a logical fashion. The mental activity needed to carry out these steps is known as hypothetico-deductive reasoning. It is required for counter-factual thinking, transitive inferences, and hypothesis testing. Jean Piaget postulated that this type of mental activity is characteristic of children …

Attachment Theory: Schaffer And Emerson, Jeffery H. Cornelius-White, Joan E. Test

Essays in Developmental Psychology

Rudolph Schaffer and Peggy Emerson’s work on the development of attachment in childhood is based on the evolutionary perspective of John Bowlby. Schaffer and Emerson (1964) defined attachment as, “The tendency of the young to seek the proximity of other members of the species” (p. 6). In their view, infants and young children seek out and find comfort in being physically close to people with whom they have formed attachments.

Wimmer And Perner 1983, Alexandra Daro, Jonathan B. Santo

Essays in Developmental Psychology

False beliefs occur when individuals are unaware of a change in a situation that makes their beliefs different from reality. Children developing a theory of mind learn to distinguish their own beliefs about a situation from other individuals’ beliefs about the same situation. Through this process, children move away from assuming their thoughts are shared by everyone in their day to day experiences (an egocentric perspective normal to this developmental stage), and toward an understanding of others as individuals with minds, thoughts, and beliefs separate from their own.

Person Perception In Childhood And Adolescence, William Goulart, Lisa K. Lashley, Charles J. Golden

Essays in Developmental Psychology

Prior to the early 1970s little was known about how children viewed others. Previous research had focused on the types of thoughts children had about others, rather than how they arrived at and how to categorize these impressions. Additionally, it was assumed that understanding the development of impression formation in childhood would prove useful for understanding impression formation in adulthood.

Success And Intelligence, Halie B. Hamilton, Nathan C. Weed

Essays in Developmental Psychology

One of the most famous studies tracking the relationship between intelligence and success was conducted by Louis Terman. Terman’s Gifted Child Study began in the 1920s and followed nearly 1500 gifted children throughout their lives. To qualify, the children had to have an IQ of at least 140. The children were followed into adulthood to see how their intelligence was related to social and personal adjustment. Terman found that his sample showed not only positive academic outcomes, but also tended to be healthier, taller, and stronger than children with lower IQs. These positive effects persisted into adulthood. Two-thirds earned bachelor’s …

Dependent Care, Michael Galobardi, Lisa K. Lashley, Charles J. Golden

Essays in Developmental Psychology

The term dependent care is an umbrella for several types of care regarding family members. One can be the caretaker for disabled children, disabled adult children, or elderly parents. It is expected of parents to perform a supportive role to make sure that children get the services they need from the appropriate health care professionals.  Caring for children is only made more difficult when the child, or one of the children has a disability. It is becoming common practice for children with disabilities to be cared for at home in developing countries. Where the complex medical and physical needs of …

Maria Montessori, Vanessa Braun, Donna Devaughn Kreskey

Essays in Developmental Psychology

Maria Tecla Artemesia Montessori (born August 31, 1870, Chiaravalle, near Ancona, Italy – died May 6, 1952, Noordwijk aan Zee, Netherlands) was an Italian educator.  She is commonly remembered for the many schools around the globe that bear her name and implement her educational methods, the Montessori system. Maria Montessori was a scientist, educator, activist, and advocate for children.

Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Huda Abu-Suwa, Lisa K. Lashley, Charles J. Golden

Essays in Developmental Psychology

Stem cell research is a controversial issue that has received considerable attention over the last three decades. Stem cell research began in the early 1980’s, when stem cells were obtained from mice embryos and utilized to understand the functioning of stem cells (Grivennikov, 2008). In 1998, researchers discovered techniques for obtaining embryonic stem cells from human and growing them in laboratories. Since them, substantial research has been conducted on stem cells and their potential uses, which includes increasing our understanding of diseases and how they occur, treating various diseases, and testing new medications for safety and efficacy (Taylor, 2005).

The Marshmallow Task, Laurel A. Brabson, Hannah M. Coffey, Mary Margaret Ruckle, Cheryl B. Mcneil

Essays in Developmental Psychology

To study the human systems of self-control during delayed gratification, Dr. Walter Mischel and colleagues developed what became the famous Marshmallow Test, published in Science in 1989. This study became a frontrunner in the field of psychology, laying the foundation for future studies in impulse control. Dr. Mischel was born in 1930 in Vienna, Austria. He was a professor at the University of Colorado, Harvard University, and Stanford University where he originally conducted the Marshmallow Test. Dr. Mischel currently holds a professorship at Columbia University.

Intersensory Redundancy, Macey Cartwright, Heidi Kloos

Essays in Developmental Psychology

How does redundancy in the input affect the child’s attention? Consider, for example, a scenario in which the child is listening to a parent’s utterances, as well as watching the parent’s lips moving in synchrony with the speech. Intuitively, one might assume that there is an inherent advantage in such informational coherence. The match between sounds and visual input might help constrain attention in productive ways. Alternatively, a mismatch in intersensory information might affects attention negatively. The reality of how intersensory redundancy affects a child’s attention is more surprising than what intuition might suggest, as we discuss in this essay.

Mathematical Skills, Rhonda Douglas Brown

Essays in Developmental Psychology

Mathematical Skills are essential for understanding how the world works and for solving problems that are important to human survival and prosperity.  They are used in everyday living in societies across the world.  The most basic mathematical skills involve estimating the amount of small sets of items without using symbols, called number sense, and tracking a small number of individual objects through space and time, called parallel individuation.  These skills are thought to be present at birth or early in life and to increase in precision into adulthood.

Naïve Theories, Ethan Fleuchaus, Heidi Kloos

Essays in Developmental Psychology

While the idea of the mind as a blank slate has long been abandoned, the question of what exactly a “non-blank slate” might look like is still debated. In this entry we discuss the claim that children are equipped with naïve theories—primitive, incomplete, or otherwise ill-formed, but nevertheless systematic, mental representations of cause-effect relations. Other terms that reflect this idea include ‘misconceptions’, ‘naïve beliefs’, ‘prior theories’, ‘alternative conceptions’, or ‘intuitive theories’. Their main characteristic is that they interfere with an open-minded exploration of the surrounding. The unfortunate result of such biased exploration is that children ignore evidence that conflicts with …

Adverse Childhood Experiences: Healing Through Storytelling And Mindful Narrative Therapy, Julie Kemp

Mindfulness Studies Theses

This study presents research about the nature and prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), the mental and physical impacts to individuals exposed to ACEs, and incorporating mindfulness practices into therapeutic approaches to treating them, particularly Mindfulness-Based Narrative Therapy (MBNT). It is important because ACEs have become a global crisis, with the potential for interfering with psychological and physical development, early mortality, and other harmful life outcomes. This thesis provides critical information for mindfulness teachers and practitioners, therapists, educators, regulators, parents, and individuals subjected to ACEs.

The methodology includes extensive literature searches for narrative therapy and mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in peer-reviewed …

Identifying Associations Between The Family Environment And Anxiety And Depression Among Children Ages 0-17 In The United States, Reagan A. Richardson, Nicole M. Holt

OUR Journal: ODU Undergraduate Research Journal

This study analyzes whether physical, emotional & neurological, family environment, or community-related factors display the strongest association with anxiety and depression among children ages 0-17 in the United States.

Using IBM SPSS v. 27, we conducted a univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis on data from the 2017 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) with a sample size of 21,599. Our independent variables included 30 questions from the NSCH which were compared to a mental health index score.

Our study shows that about 10.6% of children suffer from either anxiety, depression, or both, and the univariate model found that 19 …

Designing Movement-Based Interventions To Promote Self-Regulation In Early Childhood, Gayatri Sardana

Dissertations, 2020-current

Self-regulation skills are an important predictor of academic achievement, mental health, and positive behavior in the classroom (Blair & Diamond, 2008; Cameron et al., 2016; Skibbe et al., 2019). In early childhood, self-regulation is intrinsically connected with motor development. The neuropsychological overlap between the brain regions involved in cognitive and motor development can be leveraged through interventions. In bridging research and practice, this study proposes that movement-based interventions are a developmentally appropriate pathway to strengthen self-regulation skills in early childhood. Derived from research on neurocognitive processes involved in self-regulation (i.e., response inhibition, executive attention, and working memory), guidelines to design …

The Impact Of Music Therapy On Language Acquisition In Children With Nonverbal Autism, Alecia Bernau

Senior Honors Theses

Through an experimental method, the researcher investigated whether children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are more likely to develop verbal communication skills after consistent exposure to songs with lyrics. Six children with nonverbal ASD were exposed to the same song with lyrics, with the goal of increased vocalization and language acquisition. Over nine sessions, subjects were pulled to participate in the experiment. The researcher played the song for the participants, recording the responses from each trial and categorizing them as either full words, verbal approximations, or miscellaneous verbalizations. The findings of the study suggest that there is a relationship between …

Exploring How Interpersonal Childhood Trauma Impacts Emotional Development, Kathleen Hobbs

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

Our earliest interactions in life lay the foundation of how we relate to ourselves and others throughout adulthood. When a child experiences abuse and neglect that is relational in nature, referred to as interpersonal childhood trauma, research shows that they are at a much higher risk to display emotional difficulties that have been found to contribute to extensive health consequences throughout the lifespan. Less has been documented however regarding exactly how this kind of trauma influences emotional development. The purpose of this paper is to explore the current research that exists on the relationship between interpersonal childhood trauma and emotional …

Opportunities For Interaction: Natural Observations Of Children’S Social Behavior In Five Societies., Tanya Broesch, Patrick L. Carolan, Senay Cebioğlu, Christopher Von Rueden, Adam Boyette, Cristina Moya, Barry Hewlett, Michelle A. Kline

Jepson School of Leadership Studies articles, book chapters and other publications

We examine the opportunities children have for interacting with others and the extent to which they are the focus of others’ visual attention in five societies where extended family communities are the norm. We compiled six video-recorded datasets (two from one society) collected by a team of anthropologists and psychologists conducting long-term research in each society. The six datasets include video observations of children among the Yasawas (Fiji), Tanna (Vanuatu), Tsimane (Bolivia), Huatasani (Peru), and Aka (infants and children 4–12 years old; Central African Republic). Each dataset consists of a series of videos of children ranging in age from 2 …

Positive Communication Across The Lifespan: Early Childhood Aces To Vias, Adam Pyecha

College of Arts and Letters Posters

Felitti et al., (1985; 1998) developed Adverse Childhood Experiences test (ACEs), after researching adults suffering from obesity and addictive overeating. Positive correlations were linked with traumatic childhood experiences, such as severe physical, sexual and mental abuse with those participants struggling with obesity. ACEs is widely accepted in the field of psychology, proving individuals with higher ACEs scores indicate higher probability for mental illness and high risk deviant like substance abuse and felony crime. Identifying students with high ACEs before entering grade school may give educators and institutions the ability positively alter character and behavior outcomes of these victimized children. Nicholson, …

Effects Of A Comprehensive Nutrition Education Programme To Change Grade 4 Primary-School Students’ Eating Behaviours In China, Lian Qian, Ian M. Newman, Lok-Wa Yuen, Weijing Du, Duane F. Shell

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Objective: As part of a national initiative to reduce child obesity, a comprehensive school-based nutrition education intervention to change eating behaviours among grade 4 primary-school students was developed, implemented and evaluated. Design: The intervention was developed by school staff, with technical assistance from outside health education specialists. The programme included school facility upgrades, school teacher/staff training, curriculum changes and activities for parents. Student scores on nine key eating behaviours were assessed prior to and after the programme. The quality of programme implementation in the schools was monitored by technical assistance teams. Setting: Shandong Province (high household income) and Qinghai Province …

Parents Frame Childhood For The World To See In Digital Media Postings, Aysenur Benevento

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

With the wellbeing of children being at the center of contemporary media discourse (Livingstone & Bovill, 2013), developmental studies are ever more challenged to understand both children’s and adults’ behavior in online spaces. Parents and children are involved in the human development process in complementary ways (Johansson, 2010; Uprichards, 2008) while using media platforms. As the development and use of innovative media technology are accelerating at a fast pace, theory and methods for analyzing uses of digital media for human development have lagged behind. This study examines adults’ postings of photos of their children on social media and offers a …

A Phenomenological Exploration Of The Role Of Digital Technology And Media In Children’S Subjective Well-Being, Lisa Newland, Daniel Mourlam, Gabrielle Strouse

School of Education Faculty Publications

This phenomenological study examined children’s subjective well-being (N = 22) in rural and urban areas of the Midwestern United States, as part of a larger multinational comparative qualitative study of children's well-being. Children (8 to 12 years old) completed an extended, semi-structured qualitative interview and mapping exercise that prompted them to draw and describe the scope, aspects of, and influences on their subjective well-being. Phenomenological analyses of children’s responses were conducted to identify aspects of their contexts, including their use of digital technology and media (DTM), that were linked to children’s subjective well-being. Two main themes emerged; 1) children reported …

Childhood Verbal Abuse And Its Psychological Effects On Adults, Lani Thomason

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have documented an increase in child abuse in the past 50 years. Child abuse is associated with many adult physical, emotional, social, and cognitive impairments. To date, physical and sexual abuse have received more attention than verbal abuse. There is a gap in the literature on the effect of verbal abuse on mental health. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of verbal abuse in children on adult psychological functioning. A retrospective, casual-comparative design was used drawing a sample of adults (n = 224), ages 18 to 40, who reported verbal abuse as children as well …

Choosing Priorities For Young Children, Nancy Balaban

Thought and Practice: (1987-1991) the Journal of the Graduate School of Bank Street College of Education

Discusses the way childhood has changed and the way adults, including teachers, are reacting.

University Scholar Series: Nadia Sorkhabi, Nadia Sorkhabi

University Scholar Series

Cultural Similarities in Parenting Styles and Practices of Mothers and Father

On March 18, 2015, Dr. Nadia Sorkhabi spoke in the University Scholar Series hosted by Provost Andy Feinstein at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library. Her talk, titled "Cultural Similarities in Parenting Styles and Practices of Mothers and Father," explored parenting styles and how domain-specific practices of mothers and fathers are related to the academic achievement, social competence, and mental health of children and adolescents. Her research includes frequency and intensity of parent-adolescent conflicts, conflict resolution strategies, and adolescent disclosure of their activities to their parents. Sorkhabi is …

Personality And Creativity Correlates In Adults With Childhood Imaginary Companions, Carolyn Lasch

Scripps Senior Theses

A few studies have demonstrated differences in various personality attributes and creative abilities in children with imaginary companions. This study examined how recalled childhood engagement with an imaginary companion correlates with adult personality and creativity measures. It was hypothesized that creation of childhood imaginary companions would be positively correlated with adult creativity, but that this relationship would be mediated by certain personality attributes such as openness to experiences and extraversion. Other details of the imaginary companion experiences were also investigated. Two hundred and forty-six participants were recruited online to answer questions related to their personality and creativity, as well as …

Social Factors Influencing Early Reading Development From Kindergarten To Grade One In English-Speaking Public Schools In Ontario And Quebec, Katherine Wood

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This research study examines the influence of providing parents with early literacy or socio-emotional instruction on their children’s performance in reading and social skill development. Parents were offered four interactive workshops designed to assist them in identifying everyday opportunities to reinforce either early reading skills or early social skills development. Two reading skills approaches were explored, traditional text reading and traditional text reading with computer-assisted learning opportunities. These two reading approaches were contrasted with a set of social development workshops derived from social-emotional learning models. Children’s performance was measured at three time intervals from early kindergarten to early in grade …

The Sexualized Girl: The Development Of An Expanded (Sexualized) Gender Stereotype Among Children, Ellen A. Stone

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

The current study examined children’s stereotypes about sexualized girls. Elementary school children (n = 208) from the mid-South between the ages of 6 and 11 completed a survey assessing their stereotypes about sexualized girls and non-sexualized girls. Participants were asked to justify, in their own words, their responses to several stereotypic evaluations. Children’s cognitive development was analyzed through classification skill as a moderator of belief in stereotypes about girls. Results revealed that children perceived the sexualized girl to be more popular and better liked by boys than the non-sexualized girl. However, the sexualized girl was also rated as less athletic, …

A Preliminary Investigation Of The Validity Of Time-Based Measures Of Sustained Attention For Children, Michael R. Kulfan

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study is a preliminary investigation of the validity of using time-based measures to quantify sustained attention in children ages 6-12. Problems with sustained attention negatively affect childhood learning and development. The prevalence of disorders known to impact sustained attention performance continue to rise in the United States. Currently, commercially available, objective measures of sustained attention use normative comparisons that provide limited information about the effect such problems have on child performance in natural settings. We reviewed test data from 290 charts of children ages 6-12 referred for neuropsychological evaluation. The Test of Everyday Attention for Children (TEA-Ch) is an …