Current & Recent Projects

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The Observation Room

Current Projects:

PEERS2K Project (Peer Treatment across the Transition to Kindergarten: A Test of Biological Sensitivity to Context Theory):

The PEERS2K Project is a study looking at the transition from preschool to kindergarten, school readiness, and children’s social development. More specifically, the project examines how early experiences and peer relationships affect school readiness as measured by academic and socioemotional variables. Physiological influences on these relations are also examined (e.g., heart rate, breathing rate, skin conductance) in order to see if some children may be more biologically reactive to their environment (i.e., more sensitive to things happening in their peer context) and thus more heavily influenced by either positive or negative peer experiences. PEERS2K is funded by the National Science Foundation (BCS-1939393) and the formal abstract can be found here.

FRIENDS Project (Peer and Family Adversity, Neuroendocrine Regulation, and School Readiness Across the Transition to Kindergarten):

The FRIENDS Project is a study of preschoolers’ social development and school readiness as children transition to kindergarten. The FRIENDS project examines how family and peer relationships impact school readiness, which is broadly defined to include academic and social-emotional domains of development. In addition, the project examines the influence of the stress hormone cortisol. The FRIENDS Project is funded (R01HD095832-01A1) by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), which is part of the National Institute of Health (NIH).  For a formal abstract click here.  Please also read a press release and other press associated with the project found under the Media Coverage tab.

VICE Project (Developmental Pathways of Violence and Substance Use in a High Risk Sample):

In collaboration with The Clinical and Research Institute on Addictions (CRIA) and the UB Alberti Center for Bullying Abuse Prevention, the VICE project examines potential developmental pathways to violence and substance use in a sample characterized as high risk. The VICE project is funded (R01DA041231-05) by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).  For a formal abstract click here.


Recent Projects:

PEERS Project (Psychophysiology, Empathy, Emotion Regulation, and Social Information Processing):

The Peers and Social Development Project was a study of preschoolers’ peer relationships, early personality, emotion regulation, empathy, and social development. The PEERS project examined how biological and personality factors may impact social behavior. The specific behaviors the PEERS Project was interested in are aggressive behavior, social exclusion, and helping or prosocial behavior. The PEERS Project was funded by the National Science Foundation (BCS- 1450777). For a formal abstract click here. More information on the PEERS Project results may be found in our newsletters (under “For Parents” tab) as well as Publications.