Child Development Perspectives最新文献

Researchers agree that both domain-general skills and domain-specific skills contribute to mathematics knowledge, but questions arise as to which skills can and should be trained to improve children's learning outcomes. In this article, we synthesize research on training three domain-general constructs in early childhood (patterning skills, working memory, and spatial reasoning) and their causal links to mathematics knowledge. The results are clear: Practice with these domain-general tasks is unlikely to transfer to higher scores on measures of mathematics knowledge, especially for preschool-aged children. Based on this evidence, we argue against using isolated domain-general training to enhance math knowledge in early childhood. We offer recommendations for researchers and practitioners to optimize best practices in this area.

Children need to learn the demands of their native language in the early vocabulary development phase. In this dynamic process, parental multimodal input may shape neurodevelopmental trajectories while also being tailored by child-related factors. Moving beyond typically characterized group profiles, in this article, we synthesize growing evidence on the effects of parental multimodal input (amount, quality, or absence), domain-specific input (space and math), and language-specific input (causal verbs and sound symbols) on preterm, full-term, and deaf children's early vocabulary development, focusing primarily on research with children learning Turkish and Turkish Sign Language. We advocate for a theoretical perspective, integrating neonatal characteristics and parental input, and acknowledging the unique constraints of languages.

In the United States, most mothers work during pregnancy. Yet, until the passage of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act in 2022, pregnant employees did not have a right to reasonable accommodations to work under safe conditions. This law is expected to increase employment among pregnant women, making it critical to understand the effects of work during pregnancy on health and the potential benefits of the law. Because the prenatal period has long-lasting consequences for health, employment during pregnancy can affect children's health and development in childhood and beyond. In this article, we review theory and empirical evidence on the effects of work during pregnancy on maternal and infant health. We propose a conceptual framework that outlines the pathways through which work during pregnancy affects health, discuss policies that are expected to affect work during pregnancy and health and conclude with priorities for future research.

Happiness is one of the most important parenting goals in today's modern society. To promote a happy childhood, we need to understand what happiness means to children. Contrary to the view that young children may equate happiness with satisfying material desires and experiencing simple pleasures, in this article, I review recent developmental research showing that (1) even young children have a sophisticated understanding about the role of desire satisfaction in happiness, (2) they perceive happiness as contingent on moral goodness, and (3) they experience happiness from performing morally good behaviors. Together, the findings suggest that for children, happiness means more than feeling good about satisfying material desires and experiencing simple pleasures; it also means being good to oneself and others. This research deepens our understanding of children's emotional cognition and experience, elucidates the nature and origins of happiness, and has significant implications for fostering a happy childhood and beyond.

Early childhood is characterized by rapid increases in both motor skills and executive function skills. Rather than simply codeveloping, the development of motor and executive function skills may be linked causally. In this article, we introduce corticomuscular coherence as a paradigm for psychologists interested in testing mechanistic questions about the potentially causal association between motor and executive function skill development in early childhood. We also consider the broader implications of this work for informing typical and atypical development.