HEALthy Brain and Child Development (H.B.C.D.): The Child Development lab is joining in a nationwide effort to explore the impact of adversity on early childhood development. In collaboration with 25 institutions across the United States, this 6-year longitudinal study funded by the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Institute of Health (NIH) aims to examine the influence of prenatal substance use and other environmental impacts on brain development and behavior in infants and children and provide new insights on healthy brain development overall. Behavioral measures and neurological measures, such as EEG and MRI, will be collected from babies across the first 5 years of life to analyze how prenatal and postnatal exposure to alcohol, drugs and other adversities impact the structure and function of the brain, as well as the development of social, emotional and cognitive processes. The CDL is in search of pregnant women located in the District of Columbia and Maryland regions to participate in this groundbreaking research. If you are interested in participating please fill out this online contact form, give us a call at (301) 405-8315, or email us at cdlresearch@umd.edu.

Mother-Child Dynamics (M.C.D.): Social anxiety is one of the most prevalent childhood mental health problems, and maternal social anxiety is one of the strongest known predictors of child social anxiety. This study examines how children learn about social situations through mother-child conversations, and how mothers may transmit social anxiety to their children. In this study, mother-child dyads wear mobile eye-tracking glasses that help us keep track of where they are looking as they interact with each other about unfamiliar social peers and animals. Our project is recruiting mothers and their children ages 9-12 to participate in our research! If interested in participating, give us a call at (202)-630-0792, or email us at cdlresearch@umd.edu. 

Brain Research on Anxiety Vulnerability (B.R.A.V.e): Every child responds differently to new people and new situations. Whereas some kids are more outgoing and adventurous, others are more shy and hesitant. Those who are more shy as young kids may be more likely to develop symptoms of anxiety. However, not all shy kids go on to develop anxiety. In the BRAVe study, we are using a combination of brain imaging, computer games, and questionnaires to understand what factors help determine a child’s risk for anxiety difficulties, both among shy and outgoing kids. We’re currently recruiting participants ages 9 to 11 years, and one of their parents, for our study. Although we are interested in better understanding pediatric anxiety, your child does not have to show signs of anxiety to participate in this study. If you are interested in participating, please fill out our short interest form, email us at bravestudy@umd.edu, or give us a call at (914) 319-3258.

Bucharest Early Intervention Project (B.E.I.P.): Infants and young children raised in institutions are deprived of typical social and emotional stimulation and interaction as well as typical cognitive and language stimulation during infancy and early childhood. This places them at risk for a number of social and behavioral abnormalities such as disturbances of attachment, inattention/hyperactivity, externalizing behavior problems, and a syndrome that mimics autism. With funding from the John D. and Catherine T. Macarthur Foundation, investigators at Boston Children's Hospital (Professor Charles Nelson), University of Maryland (Professor Nathan Fox), and Tulane University (Professor Charles Zeanah) began studying the effects of a foster care intervention in institutionalized children in Bucharest, Romania. This project is the first random control intervention trial with institutionalized infants and children. We have followed two groups of young children through their 16th year of age. Half of these children were placed into foster care under our study’s supervision, while half remained in the institution. Over the course of the study, we are charting the effects of early deprivation as well as the consequences of early intervention on children’s cognitive, physical, and socio-emotional development. This study is supported by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Program Project MH56193. You can learn more about this study here.

Origins of Infant Temperament (O.I.T.): The Child Development Lab at the University of Maryland is starting a new study examining infant temperament and brain development! We are currently recruiting newborns to participate in 4-5 visit sessions over the infant’s first two years of life. Compensation is provided for your time and participation in each session. Visits will include observational and behavioral assessments, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and the completion of questionnaires. You can read more about the study here. If you are interested in participating please fill out this online contact form, give us a call at (301) 405-7234, or email us at infantstudy@umd.edu.

Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes in the Northern Plains Safe Passage Study Cohort (E.C.H.O.): NIH's ECHO program supports multiple, synergistic, longitudinal studies using existing cohorts to investigate environmental exposures — including physical, chemical, biological, social, behavioral, natural and built environments — on child health and development. The Safe Passage Study includes individuals on whom there is extensive physiological and behavioral data during the infancy period. These children will be assessed at 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, and 11 years of age on several EEG and ERP tasks. You can learn more about our participation in this study by visiting the College of Education or in the MarylandToday.