Developmental Psychology

Using baby teeth to reconstruct weekly chemical exposures, scientists found that the specific timing of early metal absorption is associated with differences in the developing brain and later adolescent behavior.

A new study shows that pregnant women exposed to higher levels of air pollution may have children who exhibit more attention-related symptoms in school. However, this exposure is not associated with higher rates of formal clinical ADHD diagnoses.

A recent study shows that teenagers overwhelmingly point to positive experiences like educational achievements or forming relationships as their most formative life events, challenging the traditional scientific focus on childhood stress and trauma.

A new study links chronic indoor radon exposure to altered brain wave patterns in children. The findings suggest the common radioactive gas may disrupt the typical development of neural networks needed for attention and cognitive control.

A recent Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry study suggests the heavier twin at birth tends to score higher on cognitive tests later in life. These findings highlight how conditions in the womb independently influence long-term brain development.

By analyzing genetic and environmental data from thousands of twins, researchers found that early trauma shapes mental health in distinct ways that increase a person's vulnerability to later domestic abuse.

A new longitudinal study reveals that specific brain wave patterns emerging around age nine can reliably predict whether a child will develop anxiety or depression during their teenage years, opening the door for proactive mental health interventions.

Using virtual reality, researchers found that children who take physical risks during playtime develop better hazard-assessment skills. The study highlights how a cultural embrace of adventurous play helps kids safely navigate complex real-world environments.

A third grader's afternoon restlessness might predict their educational future. Researchers tracking students with wearable devices found that the ability to sustain self-control throughout the school day strongly correlates with lifelong academic achievement.

While most children outgrow occasional fibs, new research shows that persistent childhood lying predicts a higher risk of antisocial behavior and criminal records in early adulthood. Escalating deception often signals a need for early intervention.

When children watch their parents interact, their brains sync up with the adults via an invisible biological alignment. A new scanning study reveals that this synchronization provides a vital pathway for emotional learning and protects kids against behavioral struggles.

A new study reveals that the size of a specific language-processing region in a fetus's brain can predict how many words that child will be able to say at two to three years of age.

Over the last two decades, nearly every U.S. state passed laws to support students with dyslexia. A new analysis of national education data shows these legislative efforts have yielded highly mixed results for special education diagnoses and reading test scores.

Pretend play is often seen as just for fun, but new research links early imaginative skills to better long-term mental health. The findings suggest that encouraging creative play in toddlers reduces behavioral difficulties years later.