Preschool Study

Currently closed to recruitment. Thanks to all of the families who participated! 

This study explores patterns of change in children’s temperaments. As children get older, they may become less shy, more cheerful, have better attention spans, or be less active, etc. The goal of our study is to understand the things that influence changes in child temperament across the preschool period. Is change in temperament due to maturation (genes) or is it environmentally influenced? Do changes in child temperament influence parents’ behaviors toward their children? Does change in temperament tell us anything about developmental outcomes such as behavior problems, early learning skills, prosocial behaviors? A better understanding of the factors that influence temperament change and its links to child outcomes may help to identify children at risk and lead to the development of appropriate interventions. Twins came into the lab at 3, 4, and 5 years of age.

At the lab visit, the twins wore motion recorders, smaller than a Hershey’s miniature chocolate bar, on their wrists and ankles. They look like little watches, and keep track of the child’s movement during the visit.

Twins also participated in a series of game-like activities. Such as playing with toys, watching videos, playing on the computer, pop bubbles, draw, play with balls, look at pictures, choose stickers, and play with Mom. Here are some of our BUTP twins having fun in the lab:

At the end of the visit, the twins picked out a fun prize: