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Early childhood development to be focus of newly created institute

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Early childhood development to be focus of newly created institute

With the creation of the Institute for Building Early Relationships (IBEaR) in the Department of Human Development and Family Science, the College of Human Sciences at Oklahoma State University will be a hub of interdisciplinary scholarship on early caregiver-child relationships in Oklahoma.

Key stakeholders in infant mental health from Oklahoma have come together to support the formation of this Institute. IBEaR’s purpose is to build the relationships that facilitate positive social and emotional development in very young children.

“By creating an institute of collaborative research, education, and outreach, our mission is to build life-long resilience in very young children and families in Oklahoma,” said IBEaR director Amy Williamson, Ph.D.

The relationship between parents and their babies forms the foundation for healthy development and well-being. Because a significant amount of brain development occurs in the first three years of life, babies and toddlers whose nurturing and positive relationships with their parents develop the cognitive, social, and emotional skills for future success in school and life.  In contrast, children who experience neglect, abuse or the chronic toxic stress of family dysfunction are two to four times as likely as adolescents and adults to drop out of school, engage in risky health habits, be diagnosed with serious physical and mental health problems, and live in poverty.

IBEaR’s primary goals are to conduct advanced research on early development and relationships, and to provide training and education to students and professionals on young children’s social and emotional development fostering successful early attachment relationships.

One study already underway is the Oklahoma Baby Study, a longitudinal study of 200 babies and their mothers living in Oklahoma.  The OK Baby Study will be the cornerstone for understanding the impact of early relationships on children’s development, health, and self-regulation as well as how characteristics of the mother and infant impact the quality of their relationship over time. The study will follow babies and their mothers over the first three years of life, using survey methods and observational coding of caregiver-child interactions. Results will be used to develop intervention efforts and as a comparison sample for intervention programming across the state.

The Institute will benefit from existing resources in Tulsa and in Stillwater. IBEaR members on the OSU Stillwater campus, have ready access to young children and their families through the College of Human Sciences’ Cleo L. Craig Child Development Lab and Center for Family Services.

The CDL is a renowned research facility that combines early learning for children 12 months through kindergarten with professional development training for students seeking degrees in early childhood education and child development. The CFS is a child and family therapy clinic operated by the Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) faculty in HDFS. It serves families and children in Stillwater and the surrounding area, and provides training environment for students in the MFT master’s program.

On the OSU-Tulsa campus, the Institute will work with the Center for Family Resilience and institute charter members including those from the Parent-Child Center and the Oklahoma Association for Infant Mental Health.

“We expect the long-term impact of the Institute to be observed in greater academic readiness in kindergarten and eventually high school graduation, and lower rates of behavior problems reported by parents and teachers,” said Jennifer Hays-Grudo, PhD, head of the Department of Human Development and Family Science, which houses the Institute.

“Ultimately, a healthier and more prosperous Oklahoma is our goal, but it all starts with how we care for babies and young children,” Hays-Grudo said.

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