Studies

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. This study is supported by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) grant number K23MH130751.

Infants and young children raised in institutions are relatively deprived of stimulation and social interaction, which may impact their cognitive, emotional, and physical development. BEIP is the only randomized controlled trial (RCT) of foster care as an alternative to institutional care. Participants were enrolled while living in institutions in Bucharest, Romania, and have been followed from infancy to young adulthood. The BRAVE Lab helps oversee EEG data collected as part of this project and is particularly interested in examining causal links between early psychosocial deprivation and the development of executive functioning. BEIP has been funded by both federal and private foundation grants, including from the National Institutes of Health and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

ABC is a brief, focused, strengths-based intervention developed by Dr. Mary Dozier at the University of Delaware. It is designed to increase parental nurturance and sensitivity in families most at-risk for negative outcomes. The intervention has a low cost per family and extensive RCT evidence supporting its efficacy. The BRAVE Lab has ongoing involvement in EEG and MRI assessments of children and their parents enrolled in RCTs investigating potential effects of ABC on brain measures of their cognitive and emotional functioning. These studies are supported by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) grant number R01MH074374 and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) grant number R01HD098525.