Exposure to childhood adversity has been consistently associated with poor developmental outcomes, but it is unclear whether these associations vary across different forms of adversity. We examined cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between threat and deprivation with cognition, emotional processing, and psychopathology in a…

The Sustainable Development Goals mandate that by 2030, all children should have access to quality early child development opportunities, healthcare and pre-primary education. Yet validated measures of ECD in low and middle income countries (LMICs) are rare. To address this gap, a Systematic Review (SR) of measures available to profile the…

Cognitive deficits have been reported in children who experienced early neglect, especially children raised in institutionalized settings. Previous research suggests that early neglect may differentially affect the directional organization of white matter in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). This may be one mechanism to explain cognitive deficits…

The relationship between consistency of hand preference, left hemispheric specialization, and cognitive functioning was examined in an ongoing longitudinal investigation. Children were classified as consistent or inconsistent in their hand preference across 5 assessments from ages 18 to 42 months. Findings demonstrated that (a) this early…

Introduction: Relation between constructing complex mental structures and language skills cause delays in development of executive functions of deaf children. When the importance of language skills in development of executive functions and frequency of aggressive behaviours of deaf children are considered, investigation of executive functions of…

There is much current interest in how adverse experiences early in life might affect certain elements of physiological, behavioral, and psychological functioning across the lifespan. Recent conceptual frameworks for studying the effects of early experience have involved constructs such as experience-expectant, experience-dependent, and…

Discusses humor development in children and other factors that influence children's interpretation and enjoyment of literary humor. These factors include the child's cognitive and linguistic stage of development, the object of humor, sex differences, and past experiences. (BB)

The Mozart Effect is defined as the ability of Mozart's music to temporarily heighten listeners' spatial awareness and intelligence, to improve listeners' concentration and speech abilities, and to advance reading and language skills. This book provides information about the ways in which the rhythm and tone components of music can enhance…

Research reveals the importance of early experiences for the development of young children's brains. This guide suggests ways to make the most of children's brain potential at different ages. The activities described can be used to enhance all children's learning and brain development. Following an introduction, the guide's sections are: (1)…

Analysis of data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth shows that long-term poverty has substantial influences on both cognitive ability and achievement, but time patterns differ. Childhood is a much more crucial period than adolescence for development of cognitive ability, but adolescent achievement is influenced more by adolescent…

An historical record is presented of the processes by which the children's television program, Sesame Street, was created, developed, and implemented. Particular attention is focused on the concept of using a team of educational advisors, professional researchers, and television production specialists to blend the technology of television and the…

An extended longitudinal study compared cognitive development in children adopted from Romania before 24 months and in United Kingdom adoptees with an additional sample of Romanian children adopted after 24 months. Findings indicated that there was considerable catch-up among late-placed Romanian children but they exhibited lower cognitive scores…

Educational experiences which facilitate the development of original thinking and learning are (1) the "open system" of education which stresses freedom at home and at school; (2) the emphasis on sensory awareness of the environment; (3) the development of curiosity and sense of wonder; (4) the growth of imaginative powers and original thinking…

Noting that computers are reshaping children's lives in profound and unexpected ways, this report examines potential harms and promised benefits of these changes, focusing on early childhood and elementary education. Chapter 1 argues that popular attempts to hurry children intellectually are at odds with the natural pace of human development.…

Long-term correlates of early child care and maternal employment were examined in a representative sample of 333 middle-class children ages 6 through 12. The results indicated that, for most middle-class children, early child care experiences had few, if any, lasting substantial influences when the concurrent contribution of family and child…