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- April 26, 2011
- 11:11 AM
- 282 views
Fussy Babies and Later Behavior: Complex Results
by Amy Webb in The Thoughtful Parent
If you are the parent of an especially fussy or colicky baby, you may wonder whether their temperament at this early age is a sign of later behavior problems. Well, this a perfect case to illustrate the complex science that is the study of child development. A recent study out of Europe showed that babies who have "regulatory problems" (e.g., persistent crying, difficulty eating or sleeping) were more likely to have childhood behavioral problems such as ADHD and aggression. This study was a meta-analysis, which means that the researchers pooled results from a group of studies on this topic (22 in this case) and statistically analyzed them all together. Meta-analysis is a widely accepted statistical procedure but it is tricky. Although the studies all research the same topic, they had different ways of measuring "regulatory problems" and differing samples of children. Additionally, the authors of this study found that the increased risk of behavioral problems was more likely among families with other risk factors such as poor parent-child interactions or depression. This study reminded me of a study I highlighted awhile back. It too looked at the relationship between babies early temperament and later behavior. The main difference was that this study was not a meta-analysis, but rather a single study that examined about 1,500 children. Another important difference was that this study took into account the parenting skill of the families involved. In contrast to the European study, this one found that fussy babies are only more likely to have later behavioral or academic problems IF they received less-than-optimal parenting. In other words, children that were fussy as infants fared as well (if not better) than other children if their parents were attentive, sensitive, and responsive to their needs. Considering these two studies together, it seems that babies who have a hard time regulating themselves need extra attention and sensitivity from parents to thrive later in life. Some researchers believe that fussy or colicky babies are especially sensitive to their external environment and this is why they have a difficult time with self-regulation. While this can be taxing on parents, the good news is that if they can put forth the extra patience and energy needed to care for these babies, the result will most likely be a happy, well-adjusted child. These studies also illustrate an important point about scientific research, particularly that involving human behavior. Human behavior is notoriously complex and while researchers try to factor in as many variables as possible, it is often hard to fully examine an issue with one study. This is why it is unwise to simply take one study as the "truth" on a topic. It often takes many years and many different studies on a particular topic to fully understand the issue. Hemmi MH, Wolke D, & Schneider S (2011). Associations between problems with crying, sleeping and/or feeding in infancy and long-term behavioural outcomes in childhood: a meta-analysis. Archives of disease in childhood PMID: 21508059Photo creditTweet... Read more »
Hemmi MH, Wolke D, & Schneider S. (2011) Associations between problems with crying, sleeping and/or feeding in infancy and long-term behavioural outcomes in childhood: a meta-analysis. Archives of disease in childhood. PMID: 21508059
- April 18, 2011
- 09:16 AM
- 824 views
What is the Goal of Preschool?
by Amy Webb in Notes on Parenting
Have you ever wondered what the goal of preschool really is? Honestly, I never spent much time pondering this question until recently. Even as a graduate student in child development, I do not remember this issue being discussed much in any of my classes. Now that my son is approaching two years old, however, and I have begun to consider if or when we might enroll him in preschool, I have started delving into the issue a little more. One of the first things I discovered when learning about preschools is that there seems to be an emerging distinction between “play-based” and “academic” programs. On the face of it, many parents (including myself) might have a tendency to gravitate towards the “academic” preschool model. Isn’t this the best way to prepare my child for the school environment he will face in the future? In some parenting circles, this push for academic preschool has become extremely competitive. A recent New York Times article profiled a mother who felt her choice of preschool for her child might very well determine his chances of attending an Ivy League university. A quick review of the academic research on this topic reveals that this recent emphasis on “academically rigorous” preschools may, in fact, be undermining youngsters’ ability to learn and be creative. Several recent studies have compared young children’s learning when provided either (1) direct instruction about a toy from a teacher, or (2) time to explore a toy on their own with little adult instruction. The results were quite clear: preschoolers who were “taught” how to use a toy by a teacher, did use the toy as instructed; but that’s all they did. They did not try to find any other features of the toy that the teacher did not explain to them and they did not try to use the toy in new ways. By contrast, the preschoolers who were given no direct instruction on the toy, they found new features of the toy and new ways of playing with the toy that the direct instruction group never noticed. So it seems that preschoolers do learn from direct instruction, but they are not as creative or flexible in their learning as when they are just left alone to learn by playing. In many ways this research reiterates what we’ve know about preschool for awhile. The real benefit of preschool is in learning life skills like social skills, self-control, and persistence, not necessarily in any “academic” skills. Research from 30+ years of Headstart and similar programs have provided strong evidence for this. Kids who attended those preschool programs (most of whom are economically disadvantaged) did better than their peers in school and in life, but not because these programs helped increase their IQ. Researchers found it was the social skills they learned in preschool that put them ahead of their peers on many aspects of later achievement. Sure preschool may also help kids learn their ABCs and colors, but the interaction with peers and teachers is what really seems to matter. So it seems Mr. Rogers was right again. He’s always knew the value of children’s play: “Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood” (Fred Rogers).Here's a great podcast on this topic.Bonawitz E, Shafto P, Gweon H, Goodman ND, Spelke E, & Schulz L (2011). The double-edged sword of pedagogy: Instruction limits spontaneous exploration and discovery. Cognition PMID: 21216395Photo credit*****************************************************Enjoy what you just read? Subscribe to our posts or become a follower.
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Bonawitz E, Shafto P, Gweon H, Goodman ND, Spelke E, & Schulz L. (2011) The double-edged sword of pedagogy: Instruction limits spontaneous exploration and discovery. Cognition. PMID: 21216395
- March 29, 2011
- 11:28 AM
- 612 views
I'm Just Tired: Children's Sleep and the Socioeconomic Status Achievement Gap
by Amy Webb in The Thoughtful Parent
Finally, a new post! Sorry for not posting lately but we have had a lot of family activities going on. Spring time in Texas is prime time for outdoor activities before the 100+ degrees of summer hits. Now, on to the research...We all know sleep is important, especially for children. A recent study showed that missing just one hour of sleep can reduce a child's cognitive abilities the next day by almost 2 years. For example, a 5th grader who misses sleep the night before, may perform like a 3rd grader the next day in school (reference from Dr. Michele Borba).Recently researchers have begun to consider the relationship between insufficient sleep, family socioeconomic status (SES), and a child's academic performance. This is a new, interesting line of research.Researchers have long studied the connection between SES and children's school performance. The theories for why this connection exists are many and varied--children of low SES typically have fewer resources so they may have less access to good schools, fewer books and toys. Children from low SES homes are also more likely to have behavior problems, which may affect their school performance. Researchers theorize that this may be due to their parents experiencing a great deal of stress in their lives, which may compromise their ability to parent well.But what about the connection between insufficient sleep and SES? Researchers are beginning to find that this relationship is common and statistically significant. Children from low-income homes are more likely to have sleep-disordered breathing, poor sleep quality, and shorter sleep times.A recent longitudinal study found support for the idea that these differences in sleep patterns between families of varying SES may explain some of the variation seen in children's academic performance. The study found that when sleep quality was high for children from both low-income and higher-income families, both groups of children performed similarly on cognitive tests. However, when sleep problems were present (which were more likely to be among low-income children), children from low-income families were more likely to perform poorly on cognitive tests. So why does there seem to be this connection between low SES and poor sleep patterns among children? Researchers are still testing out the theories, but some ideas include: - low-income families are typically larger so more room sharing and poor ventilation is more likely - health problems like asthma are more common among low-income families. Similarly, children may not be receiving high-quality health care and thus these health problems may be compromising sleep quality - low-income families are more likely to have inconsistent schedules or experience longer work hours, which may negatively affect children's sleepPersonally, I feel this is a much-needed area of new research that could reveal some very important issues. Sleep is so fundamental and crucial to our functioning as human beings (just ask any parent of a newborn), but we often take it for granted. For children, sleep is even more important and they are often not able to communicate that tiredness is the source of their lack of focus or crankiness. Here are some great suggestions for parents and teachers to help children get enough sleep. Buckhalt, J. (2011). Insufficient Sleep and the Socioeconomic Status Achievement Gap Child Development Perspectives, 5 (1), 59-65 DOI: 10.1111/j.1750-8606.2010.00151.xPhoto credit... Read more »
Buckhalt, J. (2011) Insufficient Sleep and the Socioeconomic Status Achievement Gap. Child Development Perspectives, 5(1), 59-65. DOI: 10.1111/j.1750-8606.2010.00151.x
- January 4, 2011
- 11:37 AM
- 451 views
Mr. Sandman Bring Me a...Smart Kid?
by Amy Webb in The Thoughtful Parent
As parents we know that sleep is important for our kids and ourselves. One of the biggest struggles many parents face is getting their little ones to sleep through the night consistently. Many times, we may think this is a selfish goal since that means we will get more sleep too, but new research is showing once again that nighttime sleep is important for young children's cognitive development. This study appeared in a recent edition of the journal Child Development and was conducted by researchers at the University of Montreal and the University of Minnesota. One great thing about this study is that it was longitudinal. Researchers first studied the children when they were 1 and 1 1/2 years old, then they followed up with them when they were 1 1/2 and 2 years old. Granted, it's not a long time span for follow-up (6 months) but at least it was longitudinal which is an advantage over a one-time assessment.The children's parents were asked to complete a 3-day sleep diary for their youngsters, which recorded nighttime sleep, naps, and any night wakings. Then the children's cognitive development was assessed, with most of the tests focusing on executive functioning. I've discussed executive functioning previously on this blog, but it's a crucial aspect of child development in the early years. Executive function involves skills like one's ability to control one's impulses (i.e., self-control), remember things and look at information in new/creative ways (i.e., mental flexibility). It may seem like these skills are too complicated for young toddlers, but they are indeed developing these skills even at this young age. The main finding of the study was that children who got most of their sleep at night did better on subsequent tests of executive function, particularly those related to impulse control. These findings held true even after considering other factors such as parents' background and the child's overall cognitive skills. Interestingly, the number of nighttime wakings and total amount of sleep were not related to children's executive functioning. I found this last point particularly interesting, given that nighttime wakings would presumably be disruptive to the rest that the brain is getting during sleep. The researchers point out that they were surprised by this finding as well, but argued that this may be an artifact of the way sleep interruptions were measured in the study. It is important to point out that this study does not necessarily imply a causal relationship between nighttime sleep and executive function. As the authors point out, it is possible that some children's brains (for reasons not considered in this study) develop quicker and thus are able to regulate nighttime sleep and executive function sooner. The other idea is that family factors may have a lot to do with both children's sleep patterns and the development of executive function. For example, previous research has shown that factors such as parental warmth, marital discord, and bedtime behaviors influence children's sleep patterns. So it could be that certain family factors influence both the regulation of nighttime sleep and the development of executive function. As a parent, I found this study to be added motivation to continue encouraging my toddler to sleep well at night. Most parents of little ones already know that good sleep is crucial to toddlers remaining in good spirits throughout the day. This research just reiterates that thought. It seems odd that many kids seem to "fight" sleep so much when it is so good for them. Sleep does a body (and brain) good.Photo creditBernier A, Carlson SM, Bordeleau S, & Carrier J (2010). Relations between physiological and cognitive regulatory systems: infant sleep regulation and subsequent executive functioning. Child development, 81 (6), 1739-52 PMID: 21077861... Read more »
Bernier A, Carlson SM, Bordeleau S, & Carrier J. (2010) Relations between physiological and cognitive regulatory systems: infant sleep regulation and subsequent executive functioning. Child development, 81(6), 1739-52. PMID: 21077861
- November 30, 2010
- 11:23 AM
- 529 views
The Moral Mind of Toddlers
by Amy Webb in The Thoughtful Parent
We, as parents, all want to encourage the moral development of our children. From a young age, we teach our children to help other people, share their toys, etc. Of course, for very young children, this is often a challenge because they simply lack the cognitive development to be able to understand events from another person's perspective or understand another's feelings. New research, however, is showing that toddlers as young as 3 years old are quite developed and discriminating in their understanding of others' intentions and their desire to help (or not help) other people.A recent study in Germany considered toddlers understanding of others' intentions and their subsequent helpful actions towards them. Here's what they did:- children watched several scenarios where adult actors played several roles: - helpfulness (taping together a drawing torn by someone else) - harmfulness (purposely tearing another person's drawing) - intention to harm (trying to tear another's drawing but not succeeding) - accidental harmfulness (accidentally tearing another person's drawing)The children then interacted with the adults in playing a game. The children's helpfulness toward the adults was gauged by whether or not they gave the adult a missing game piece. As you might expect, children were helpful to those adults who showed helpfulness in the prior scenario and were not helpful to those adults who were harmful (tearing the drawing). More interestingly, however, was the fact that children were also helpful to those adults who were only accidentally harmful. The children also showed less helpfulness to those adults who had the intention to be harmful in the previous scenario (trying but not succeeding to tear the drawing). This clearly implies that children as young as 3 can not only differentiate between helpful and harmful actions, but can also distinguish others' intentions. This may not seem like a big milestone on the surface, but when you think about it, understanding someone else's intentions is a very important skill as a human being. Social interaction is one of the main ways we as humans advance our civilization. Working and cooperating with others is not only a good moral skill, it is crucial to our survival at the most basic level. We don't often think of this in our high-tech society but working with other people is a basic part of our existence. One key aspect of working with other people is understanding their intentions towards us and others. Humans social interaction can be very complex and subtle. It is amazing that children as young as 3 can understand this complex world and be very savvy about who has good and bad intentions. On a side note, this is probably also important for we parents to understand as well. Our toddlers are very adept at understanding our actions as well. If they think we have good intentions toward them (which hopefully all parents do!), they will be more likely to comply with our requests too. Photo creditVaish A, Carpenter M, & Tomasello M (2010). Young children selectively avoid helping people with harmful intentions. Child development, 81 (6), 1661-9 PMID: 21077854... Read more »
Vaish A, Carpenter M, & Tomasello M. (2010) Young children selectively avoid helping people with harmful intentions. Child development, 81(6), 1661-9. PMID: 21077854
- November 2, 2010
- 11:34 AM
- 546 views
Language Skills Help Boys Develop Self-Regulation
by Amy Webb in The Thoughtful Parent
Many a parent of a toddler has encouraged their child to "use your words" in dealing with a problem or request, instead of crying, acting out, or whining. It turns out that teaching toddlers to "use their words" is especially useful in helping boys develop self-regulation. A recent study published in Early Childhood Research Quarterly found that language skills are more important in the development of self-regulation skills in young boys than young girls.The study looked at children as they developed from age 1 to 3. As previous research has shown, this study replicated the finding that language skills, particularly vocabulary, helps kids regulate their emotions and behavior. Research has often found that girls are typically more advanced in their language skills, and thus self-regulation skills, at this young age. What was different about this study, however, is that it showed that toddler boys with strong language skills can be as skilled in self-regulation as girls at this age. What's so important about self-regulation? Well, besides the obvious encounters in daily life (e.g., not running out in the street), self-regulation has been highlighted as one of the key aspects to success in school, career, and life. Ellen Galinsky in her book Mind in the Making, lists focus and self-control as one of the 7 essential skills kids need to learn in order to be successful. She states the following about these crucial skills,"Focus and self control involve many executive functions of the brain, such as paying attention, remembering the rules, and inhibiting one’s initial response to achieve a larger goal. Scientists call these executive functions because these are the brain functions we use to manage our attention, our emotions, and our behavior in pursuit of our goals. Many scientists now believe that executive functions predict children’s success as well as—if not better than—IQ tests."So it seems the early development of self-regulation skills can only help our children as they move through life.Being mom to a 16-month-old boy, made reading this article particularly relevant to me. Even at this young age, I am already beginning to see how language is helping him with self-regulation. He is starting to learn that certain items are off-limits (e.g., trash can, toilet bowl) and when he gets close to them he says "no, no." This "self-talk" is the early stages of this development of self-regulation. He has heard his dad and I say "no" to these items enough that he has begun to internalize it. Of course, at this age, he is not always successful in staying away from these items, but at least he's learning :) Hopefully, as he learns more and more vocabulary he will be able to say what he needs or wants, as well as continue this internal dialog to help control his actions. I think it is helpful to know that boys really are able to learn language skills to help self-regulation at the same level as girls. Although girls usually have a natural tendency to pick up language earlier, it is important to encourage language skills as much as possible with boys too. Photo creditClaire Vallotton, & Catherine Ayoub (2010). Use your words: The role of language in the development of toddlers' self-regulation. Early Childhood Research Quarterly... Read more »
Claire Vallotton, & Catherine Ayoub. (2010) Use your words: The role of language in the development of toddlers' self-regulation. Early Childhood Research Quarterly. info:/
- September 30, 2010
- 10:34 AM
- 619 views
Children's Media Use and Achievement
by Amy Webb in The Thoughtful Parent
With the increase in electronic media in recent years, many parents are wondering what the effects might be of media use on the children--especially on their academic achievement. Many new media (e.g., computer games, websites, etc.) claim to have educational benefits, but in many cases they do seem to displace old-fashioned educational activities like reading books or playing board games. There is no scarcity of research on this topic, but a recent study in the journal Child Development caught my attention because it looked at different types of media (computer, video games) and its affect on both achievement and behavior in children. In this post, I'll focus primarily on the findings concerning achievement. Here are the main aspects of the study:- studied 1,900 children age 6-12 years old for a five-year period (1997-2003)- looked at computer usage in three main areas: communications (i.e., Internet, email), games, and studyingThe findings were pretty complicated but here are some of the most interesting highlights:- boys are more likely to use the computer for games; girls are more likely to use it for communication- the results are complicated by gender and ethnicityComputer Use- for girls (both Caucasian and African American), increased overall computer use was associated with higher achievement in reading and problem solving over the five-year period studied (1997-2003)- for boys the findings were different: - for Caucasian boys, increased computer use was not associated with higher achievement; in fact, there was one negative association--higher levels of use of the computer for communications was associated with a decline in achievement in the areas of reading comprehension and applied problem solving - for African American boys the findings were quite different. Higher use of computers among African American boys (particularly for communications and studying) was associated with an increase in achievement in reading comprehensionVideo Games- for boys there was no association between video game time and achievement- among African American girls, there was one positive association--increased video game use was correlated with higher scores on applied problem solving-however, video game use was associated with lower verbal achievement for all girls. The authors found that this was because it displaced reading time.- it is important to note that benefits of video games were seen in moderate use; extensive use of video games was not associated with beneficial achievement outcomes (in other words, all things in moderation)It isn't completely clear why there were differences by ethnicity. The authors suggest that the benefits of media use for African Americans may be due to the fact that there is still somewhat of a media divide among ethnicities. African American children may not have as much access to media so we see benefits for those who are able to use it regularly (but not excessively). I took a couple of things away from this study. First, electronic media can be useful and have educational benefits if used in moderation. Almost all the findings suggested that excessive media use (computers or video games) were associated with lower academic achievement.Secondly, this study points out to me that you really have to know your child and be aware of how they're performing in school when considering how much computer/video game time they are allowed. There were some benefits of media usage for both boys and girls, but it depended on how the media was being used and for how long. I think this is a very important topic for research. Although researchers are continuing to study the effects of media use, we have really just scratched the surface of this topic, especially considering new forms of media and technology are emerging rapidly. No one really knows how all this new media is going to affect our children, but it seems clear that technology is not a magic bullet that will solve all our educational issues. It can be a useful educational tool for our children if used along with other types of learning.Photo credit... Read more »
Hofferth SL. (2010) Home media and children's achievement and behavior. Child development, 81(5), 1598-619. PMID: 20840243
- August 17, 2010
- 11:34 AM
- 552 views
Infant Sleep and Parental Responsiveness
by Amy Webb in The Thoughtful Parent
Since becoming a parent, sleep has become a major issue in my life. Probably like many of you other parents out there, I was somewhat unprepared for months of interrupted sleep and how this would affect my overall well-being. Once my son was born, I began reading everything I could get my hands on about infant/childhood sleep in an effort to understand how to get my son to sleep better. This was not only a selfish endeavor, of course, as I knew he needed good sleep and it obviously made him feel better and be more engaging in learning and exploring. I was somewhat disappointed when I found that child development researchers seem to have overlooked the issue of sleep. I found many books/articles written my pediatricians that were helpful but I still felt there was a gap in the child development research concerning infant/toddler sleep, it's role in children's behavior, and the role of parents' behavior in helping children learn to sleep. Then, just last week I came across this great study conducted by child development researchers (yeah!) on the topic of sleep and parental responsiveness. I was excited to see this study and the fact that it was conducted at Pennsylvania State University, one of the top programs in Human Development and Family Studies, gave me hope that it would be a well-thought out study. This particular study examined parents' emotional responsiveness to infants/toddlers at bedtime and its association to how easily the child went to sleep and how well the child stayed asleep. Like me, many parents had always heard that a bedtime routine is key in helping an infant or toddler go to sleep easily and sleep peacefully. This study somewhat debunks this long-held thought. The researchers studied infants and young children (2 years and under) and their parents using direct observation via video cameras in their bedrooms. The results showed that parents' emotional responsiveness to children's moods and needs prior to bedtime were a better predictor of children's sleep than any sort of bedtime routine (i.e., reading books, quiet activities, etc.). So what does emotional responsiveness really mean? Well, it's probably many of the things parents commonly do with their child--speaking softly if the child seems upset, changing activities if the child seems uninterested with the current one. The researchers point out that being emotionally available to the child at bedtime helps them feel safe and this, in turn, makes it easier for them to go to sleep without a struggle. Personally, I don't think this means that you should throw out your bedtime routine, but it did make me think about the importance of flexibility. I think bedtime routines can be useful and also make children feel safe, however, children are different from day to day. Some nights reading a book and rocking in a chair may work great, but other nights a child may not be into reading a book. The key, it seems from this research, is to be attentive to the child's emotional needs at that particular moment. If the child doesn't seem interested in a book, the best option may be to move on to something else and not worry too much about the routine. This research seems to indicate that if you get to caught up in keeping the routine exactly the same (even if the child is resistant) it may end up making it more difficult for them to fall asleep. Hopefully more great research on sleep is coming down from the ivory tower soon!Teti, D., Kim, B., Mayer, G., & Countermine, M. (2010). Maternal emotional availability at bedtime predicts infant sleep quality. Journal of Family Psychology, 24 (3), 307-315 DOI: 10.1037/a0019306... Read more »
Teti, D., Kim, B., Mayer, G., & Countermine, M. (2010) Maternal emotional availability at bedtime predicts infant sleep quality. Journal of Family Psychology, 24(3), 307-315. DOI: 10.1037/a0019306
- March 15, 2010
- 10:08 PM
- 662 views
Yes, the Little Things Matter: Parents' Role in Helping Kids Become Socially Competent
by Amy Webb in The Thoughtful Parent
Parents out there you know how it goes: you play the same game over and over again with your toddler or you help them put together a puzzle. This is the daily "stuff" of parenting and you may feel it doesn't make a difference. Well, turns out, it does make a difference! A recent study from the University of Montreal and the University of Minnesota shows that how parents interact with young children helps them develop crucial cognitive skills. Here's a brief overview of the study:- researchers studied 80 pairs of moms and their one-year-old children- the study focused on how moms interacted with their children in tasks such as playing games or putting together puzzles- the researchers examined how these interactions predicted children's "advanced cognitive functions"--those are things like controlling impulses, remembering things and having mental flexibilityIt turns out that how moms interact with their children in these tasks help the child develop these important cognitive skills. Children whose moms who interacted in the following ways had better cognitive skills at 18-26 months:- provided guidance and scaffolding in tasks that were difficult for the child but did not take over the do the task for him/her- followed the child lead and pace in completing the task or playing the game- used a warm and sensitive tone when interacting with the childOne of the most important findings of the study was that these types of interactions helped support the child's autonomous behavior--that is, the child learns to do activities on their own. This is crucial because autonomy helps the child develop a sense of self and accomplishment.So parents if you had any doubt that the little things you do everyday matter, worry no more. All those moments of guidance and support really do help your child become an independent, competent youngster.For other commentary on this study click here.Bernier, A., Carlson, S., & Whipple, N. (2010). From External Regulation to Self-Regulation: Early Parenting Precursors of Young Children’s Executive Functioning Child Development, 81 (1), 326-339 DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2009.01397.xPhoto credit... Read more »
Bernier, A., Carlson, S., & Whipple, N. (2010) From External Regulation to Self-Regulation: Early Parenting Precursors of Young Children’s Executive Functioning. Child Development, 81(1), 326-339. DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2009.01397.x
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