research topics early childhood development

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100 Best Child Development Research Topics for 2023

If you need to write a research paper about child development, you probably already know that finding great child development research topics is a very difficult task. In fact, it can sometimes take you days to find a good topic to write an interesting essay on. Fortunately, we have a list of research topics in child development that will help you immensely. Remember, all our topics are free to use. You can use them as they are or reword them. To help as many students as possible, we are constantly updating the list. You can easily find fresh topics for 2022 right here.

Having Trouble Finding Topics in Child Development?

Of course, you can try to find topics in child development on various websites. The problem is that most of those topics are years old. Furthermore, most of those child development research paper topics have been used by students over and over again. Your professor is probably bored of reading the same essays every semester, don’t you think?

To make sure you get a top grade on your essay, you need to find original, highly interesting topics. You need research topics for child development that are relevant for the scientific community today. Just pick one of our topics and start writing your essay in minutes.

Easy Child Development Topics

If you are looking from some easy topics so that you don’t have to spend much time writing the essay, you might want to take a look at our awesome easy child development topics:

• Describe 3 important child development theories
• Define childhood development
• Talk about the Vygotsky Theory.
• What are childcare centers?
• Are children more intelligent than adults?
• Music and its benefits for child development.

Child Development Essay Topics for College

Of course, college students should pick topics that are more advanced than those picked by high school attendees. Take a look at some interesting child development essay topics for college students:

• Child Abuse Prevention programs and how they work.
• Discuss Children Services in relation to child development
• How does a divorce affect the development of children?
• Analyzing the moral development stages
• Domestic violence effects on child development
• Three best parenting styles and why they work
• Special needs of differently-abled children

Controversial Topics Child Development

Child development is, of course, filled with controversial ideas, theories and practices. You may want to talk about some of them, so here are some controversial topics child development ideas:

• The best parenting model.
• Family conflict hinders proper child development.
• Does obesity affect child development?
• Does race affect child development?
• Are siblings important at all?
• Imaginary friends can be a problem.

Best Research Topics on Child Development

Nobody knows what your professor likes or dislikes better than you do. However, we believe the following list of ideas contains some of the best research topics on child development:

• Coronavirus lockdown and its effects on children.
• Peers’ influence on child development.
• Children understand life through play.
• A green environment and its effects on children.
• Describe the 4 types of parenting.
• Diet and its role on child development.
• How important is his family for a small child?

ADHD Child Development Topics

ADHD is a disorder that affects a growing number of children worldwide. It goes without saying that picking one of our ADHD child development topics will surely surprise your professor:

• What is Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)?
• Discuss the main causes of ADHD.
• Incidence rate of ADHD in small children.
• The challenges of ADHD for parents.
• Special needs of children suffering from ADHD.
• In-depth analysis of therapy methods.
• Can ADHD be cured in the 21st century?

Interesting Topics Related to Child Development

Are you looking for the most interesting topics related to child development? Here is the list of what our ENL writers consider to be the most intriguing things to talk about in 2022:

• Games that stimulate child development
• Does poverty affect the development of children?
• Tech and its effects of child development.
• Do imaginary friends play a role?
• Child development and its effects on the person’s entire life
• Why are children often more creative than adults?

Child Development Psychology Topics

But what if you want to talk about psychology? The good news is that we have several original child development psychology topics that you can choose from right now for free:

• What are the five stages of psychological development?
• An in-depth look at the mental development of children.
• Improving mental growth: best practices.
• Lack of attention and its effects.
• Behavioral psychology of autistic children.
• Society is changing the psychology of our children.
• The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Difficult Child Development Topics for Research

Are you looking for a challenge? Do you want to test your ability to write a complex academic paper on a difficult subject? Just pick one of these difficult child development topics for research and start writing:

• The coronavirus pandemic and its effects on child development.
• Eliminating dyslexia with novel child development techniques.
• Best way to develop your child’s language skills.
• Eliminating autism with novel child development techniques.
• The minimum time that you should spend with your child.
• 3 best games for child mental growth.

Current Topics in Child Development

Of course, your professor is most interested in new and exciting research. This is why it is generally a great idea to pick a current topic to write about. Here are some of the best current topics in child development:

• COVID-19 anxiety in small children.
• Advancements in children cognitive development.
• Latest social development techniques.
• The link between psychical and physical development
• What are developmental milestones?
• Solving behavioral issues correctly.
• Link between play and social skills.
• Best methods to cure autism in 2022. Check out more autism research topics .

Child Mental Health Development Paper Ideas

Interested in writing about the mental health development of children of all ages? We have some very good news for you. We have a list of child mental health development paper ideas you will find most intriguing:

• The effects of divorce on small children
• The effects of the death of a parent on small children
• The effects of family violence on child development
• The effects of substance abuse on children
• The effects of mono parental families on small children
• The effects of financial insecurity on children
• The effects of sleep disorders on the development of a child

Child Development Project Topics

Are you looking for an original project idea? Our team managed to create a list of 100% original child development project topics just for you:

• Talking and its effects on child development.
• Analyze the impact of sports on child development.
• Poor dieting and its negative effects.
• Technology effects on small children.
• Are books important for small children?
• Positive social relations and their effect on toddlers.
• Is Internet exposure recommended?

Psychology Research Topics on Child Development

Researching the psychology of child development can be a very difficult thing to do. However, if you think you are up to the task, pick one of these great psychology research topics on child development:

• Define the term “sociocultural theory”
• The 4 stages of psychological development.
• Analyzing the main psychological processes of children.
• In-depth analysis of child psychology.
• Does your children need to see a psychologist?
• The science behind understanding child emotions.
• Deviant behavior in small children.

Early Child Development Topics

Talking about infants and toddlers can be very interesting, especially if you manage to find a great topic. Choose one of these early child development topics and start writing your paper right away:

• Stages of toddler mental development.
• How much time should you spend with your small child?
• The importance of socialization.
• Games to play with your toddler.
• Is play important for early child development?
• Infant vs. toddler: the similarities.
• When does the ego first appear?

Topics About the Stages of Childhood Development

Are you interested in talking about the various stages of childhood development? You are certainly in luck today. We have just added these topics about the stages of childhood development to our list:

• What are the 5 stages of child development?
• What defines a newborn?
• Describe the transition between a newborn to an infant.
• Child development stages: the toddler.
• Preschool and school age children: key differences

Latest Child Development Paper Topics

It’s difficult to keep up with science, we know. Here are the latest child development paper topics you may want to write about:

• Genetics effect on child development.
• Social media effects on children.
• Pollution effects on the development of children.
• Social insecurity effects.
• Good sleep and its benefits.
• Preschool programs are improving emotional skills.
• The science of childhood development.

Need More Child Development Topics for Papers?

But what if you want more than these interesting topics in child development? In case you need a list of original, well thought of topics, we have the perfect solution. Our experienced academic writers can put together a list of new child development topics for papers in no time. And the best part is that only you will get the new list. So, if you need dozens of child development research topics that nobody else thought of yet, you need our help. If you need a custom thesis , we can also help you. Don’t hesitate to get in touch, even during the night.

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Social & Emotional Development: For Our Youngest Learners & Beyond

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Perhaps more than ever, mental health and social interactions have been on the minds of many over the past year. A pandemic, ongoing systemic injustices, and a contentious political season combined to create uncertainty and stress for adults and children alike. What do these stressors mean for the mental health of our youngest learners? In what ways can early childhood educators nurture the social and emotional lives and learning of children from birth through age 8?

This issue of  Young Children  offers research-supported responses to these questions with a cluster of articles devoted to intentional practices that promote social and emotional development: The first four articles in this cluster focus on the specific social and emotional needs of infants and toddlers, and the development of these important articles represents a unique collaboration between NAEYC and ZERO TO THREE to collectively concentrate our respective journals on the emotional health of infants and toddlers.

The catalyst for this issue was threefold:

• the shared interest in supporting the early childhood education workforce to have the resources and tools necessary for meeting the needs of the youngest children in their care
• the understanding that social and emotional development is critical to learning and a fundamental aspect of infant and early childhood mental health (IECMH)
• the recognition of the power of collaboration to elevate the vital role of early childhood educators in supporting IECMH

Mary Jane Maguire-Fong opens this  Young Children  cluster with “What Babies Ask of Us: Contexts to Support Learning about Self and Other.” She details how early childhood educators can listen to, observe, and guide infants and toddlers through thoughtfully prepared play spaces, daily routines, and everyday interactions. In “‘You’re Okay’ May Not be Okay: Using Emotion Language to Promote Toddlers’ Social and Emotional Development,” Elizabeth K. King harnesses that keen awareness and planning to outline how educators can use anti-oppressive emotion language strategies with toddlers.

Tapping into these same powers of observation and reflection, Claire Vallotton, Jennifer Mortensen, Melissa Burnham, Kalli Decker, and Marjorie Beeghly present “Becoming a Better Behavior Detective: Applying a Developmental and Contextual Lens on Behavior to Promote Social and Emotional Development.” Educators can use this 5-Step Reflective Cycle to identify and be responsive to infants’ and toddlers’ behaviors and needs. Of course, following these steps depends on our own emotional presence and well-being. In an accompanying piece to this article, Holly Hatton-Bowers and colleagues offer recommendations for “Cultivating Self-Awareness in Our Work with Infants, Toddlers, and Their Families: Caring for Ourselves as We Care for Others.”

Finally, in “When in Doubt, Reach Out: Teaming Strategies for Inclusive Early Childhood Settings,” Christine Spence, Deserai Miller, Catherine Corr, Rosa Milagros Santos, and Brandie Bentley capture how an early childhood educator learns to actively participate in early intervention processes through effective communication and collaboration. This cluster also features a special Rocking and Rolling column defining IECMH and outlining how early childhood educators play a role in fostering infants’ and toddlers’ emotional well-being.

For educators of older children, it is vital to understand that the roots of social and emotional learning begin in infancy. In addition to the cluster articles, you’ll find pieces devoted to social and emotional learning in preschool and elementary settings, including articles that

• outline the ARC framework to help children learn to recognize and manage their emotions, particularly those who have experienced trauma
• describe effective strategies for fostering responsibility in young children
• distinguish between friendship and kindness in preschool settings

The articles in the  ZERO TO THREE Journal  explore a variety of issues related to IECMH in early childhood education settings, including: how infants’ and toddlers’ mental health is paramount to their ability to form healthy relationships, regulate their emotions, and learn; the role of IECMH consultation, the impact of COVID, and equity and power dynamics; and trauma-informed care and the importance of teachers’ mental health, particularly in the context of multiple, long-term stressors affecting every layer of the early childhood education system and society as a whole. The issue also recognizes the valuable role of advocacy and policy and provides suggestions for how early childhood professionals can bring their expertise to influence effective policy change for babies and families.

We hope that the readers of  Young Children  and the  ZERO TO THREE Journal  will turn to both publications to discover perspectives and find valuable resources to support their work with infants, toddlers, and their families. Links to selected articles from each issue are available on each journal’s web page.

—Annie Moses, editor in chief, with Stefanie Powers, editor in chief,  ZERO TO THREE Journal , and Kathy Reschke, editorial assistant,  ZERO TO THREE Journal

Above: Children in Maureen Linnane’s toddler class used cardboard materials to create a collage.

Below: This piece comes from Chandler, the young toddler son of an NAEYC staff member, as he explored art materials.

Is your classroom full of children’s artwork? To feature it in  Young Children , see the link at the bottom of the page or email  [email protected]  for details.

Send your thoughts on this issue, and on topics you’d like to read about in future issues of Young Children, to  [email protected] .

Would you like to see your children’s artwork featured in these pages? For guidance on submitting print-quality photos (as well as details on permissions and licensing), see  NAEYC.org/resources/pubs/authors-photographers/photos .

Annie Moses, PhD, is director of periodicals at NAEYC and serves as editor in chief of  Young Children  and  Teaching Young Children .

Stephanie Powers is the editor in chief at ZERO TO THREE Journal.

Kathy L. Reschke, PhD, is senior content specialist for ZERO TO THREE. Dr. Reschke contributes to the design and development of competency-based professional development products and services. She developed the content for the ZERO TO THREE Critical Competencies for Infant-Toddler Educators™ course manuals, online course, and coaching program. [email protected]

Vol. 76, No. 1

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40 creative child development research paper topics.

Child development research topics are not so common as compared to others types of writing ideas. As such, students seeking such prompts have to dig deeper to find one or two that would match their specifications. However, this task is not easy, and most students would give up way before they start. That is why we have developed a professional list of child development topics for high school and college students.

What Is A Child Development Research Paper?

It is a field that specializes in exploring how children grow and change in the course of childhood. It uses theories that center on child development, such as emotional, social, and cognitive growth. Child development is considered one of the wealthiest areas of study, with quite a low number of research papers done on it.

Studying child development is necessary as it has direct implications on the long-term state of the child in the end. Some of the aspects that child development will handle include school attainment, future opportunities, and the child’s earning potential. Therefore, it would be improper to avoid taking such a subject.

How To Write Child Development Papers

Before we delve into the nitty-gritty of such a paper, it is essential to understand the importance. A child development paper will help set the foundation for the children’s lifelong health, learning, and behavior. In other words, it will help shape our understanding of early childhood stages that will impact the child in the future.

Some of the areas of development in a child will include:

Social, personal and emotional development Physical development Literacy skills Understanding the world around them Communication and language

Therefore, if you want a top-rated child development research paper, start with these simple steps:

• Conduct thorough research on various aspects of child development
• Brainstorm with your friends, teachers, or experts
• Understand the audience you are writing for
• Make sure that the writing ideas are meaningful

You can identify world-class topics for a child development paper through:

• Reputable online sources,
• The UNICEF website
• TV shows that involve children
• Talks and symposiums on child development

Through these, you will come up with unique and researchable child development topics for papers.

Are you stuck right now on where to start? Below is a list of reputable writing ideas that will offset your paper. Give them a try and see the results!

Interesting Early Childhood Education Research Paper Topics

• Stages that children pass through in their early years of development
• Diseases that are common to children under five years old
• Key cognitive aspects of early childhood development
• The impact of the environmental factors in the development of a child
• How television, videos, and games shape a child during his developmental years
• How children develop ego and self-centeredness in their early years of growth
• Why parents should always be by the side of their children during early years
• The role of caregivers in child development at early stages

Early Childhood Education Research Paper Topics For College Students

• How often should a mother be close to their children in their early years?
• Factors that facilitate mental development for children
• How noise-induced hearing loss affects children
• Essential nutrients for premature children
• The impact of social interaction during early years of a child
• Discuss the various development aspects during the prenatal stage
• The role of early childhood life in shaping their adult life
• Why play is essential during the early stages of child development

Accessible Child Psychology Research Paper Topics

• The implications of a child growing in a technology environment
• How the coronavirus pandemic has shaped child psychology
• The role of a psychologist in the early stages of child development
• The implication of the COVID-19 lockdowns and quarantine on child psychology
• Why attention is necessary for children in their early development stages
• Effective monitors for the psychological development of children
• The role of music in child psychology development
• The effects of birth disorders in child psychological development

Hot Research Topics On Child Development

• The impact of bullying on child development
• How to analyze behavioral child development aspects
• The significant role of proper nutrition in child development
• How to identify genius children from birth
• How to explain the connection between a mother and a child
• The impact of genes in the development of a child
• How a particular community will affect a child’s development
• The implication of celebrating birthdays on child development

First-Class Research Topics On Children

• How to deal with childhood trauma
• The effects of single families on child development
• At what stage should parents start teaching core skills to their children?
• The role of family doctors in child development
• Toxic events that may impact a child’s development
• Implications of divorce on children
• How low income affects children development
• Effects of graphic violence through animations on child development

Are you thinking of online writing help with child development research papers? We are here for you. Contact us today for a brilliant article!

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The International Journal of Childcare and Education Policy (IJCEP) is a scholarly, peer-reviewed journal focusing on childcare and education policy research for young children.

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Evidence-Based Practice

Evidence-based practice in the field of early childhood is the process that pulls together the best available research, knowledge from professional experts, and data and input from children and their caregivers, to identify and provide services, evaluated and proven to achieve positive outcomes for children and families.

On This Page

Multiple ei/ecse topics, deaf or hard of hearing, early child identification, early childhood transition, early literacy, home visiting, professional development, school readiness, screening, assessment, evaluation instruments, social emotional intervention for young children, where do you find early childhood evidence-based practices.

The resources below provide information on evidence-based practices in areas specific to early childhood care and education, professional development, early intervention and early childhood special education (EI/ECSE).

• Center on Evidenced-Based Practices (Funded by OSEP , 2001-2006)
• Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University : see their Reports and Working Papers
• Child Trends' What Works/LINKS (Lifecourse Interventions to Nurture Kids Successfully) database : Programs that work (or don't work) to improve outcomes for children at every stage of development.
• Division for Early Childhood (DEC) of the Council for Exceptional Children : see the DEC Recommended Practices in Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education (2014) and the DEC Position Statements
• Practice Improvement Tools: using the DEC Recommended Practices : A set of ECTA Center products for supporting practitioners and families.
• Synthesis of IES Research on Early Intervention and Early Childhood Education (2013)
• What Works Clearinghouse : See the sections on Early Childhood (Pre-K) and Children and Youth with Disabilities
• Research Foundations for Evidence-Informed Early Childhood Intervention Performance Checklists (2017) : An article published by the Orelena Hawks Puckett Institute that explains the research evidence and methods used for the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center's development of the performance checklists based on the DEC Recommended Practices in Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education.

See: Autism Spectrum Disorders: Evidence-Based Services

• Best Practices in Family-Centered Early Intervention for Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: An International Consensus Statement (2013) Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 18 (4), 429-445.
• Tracking, Referral and Assessment Center for Excellence (TRACE) (Funded by OSEP , 2002-2007): The Puckett Institute's TRACE initiative was to identify and promote the use of evidence-based practices and models for improving child find, referral, early identification, and eligibility determination for infants, toddlers, and young children with developmental delays or disabilities who are eligible for early intervention or preschool special education.
• National Early Childhood Transition Center (NECTC) (Funded by OSEP , 2002-2007): NECTC orchestrated research focus groups to investigate and validate practices and strategies that enhance the early childhood transition process and support positive school outcomes for children with disabilities.
• Best Evidence Encyclopedia (BEE): John Hopkins University, School of Education : See their review of effective early childhood education programs and practices.
• Center for Early Literacy Learning (CELL) (Funded by OSEP , 2006-2011): The Puckett Institute's CELL initiative was to promote sustained use of evidence-based early literacy learning practices.
• Early Beginnings: Early Literacy Knowledge and Instruction (2009)
• Learning to Talk and Listen: An Oral Language Resource for Early Childhood Caregivers (2010)
• Reading Rockets: Launching Young Readers (Funded by OSEP , 2008-2011)
• Home Visiting Evidence of Effectiveness (HomVEE) Project (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services): The HomVEE project was created to identify home visiting models that meet the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS') criteria for evidence-based models . It is meant to assist states participating in the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program , which requires 75 percent of grant funding to be spent on program models that are proven to be effective.
• National Professional Development Center on Inclusion (NPDCI) (Funded by OSEP (2006-2011) : Read about the Inclusive Classroom Profile (ICP) and Quality Inclusive Practices .

See also: Research and Studies on Inclusion

• Characteristics and Consequences of Adult Learning Strategies . Trivette, C., Dunst, C., Hamby, D., and O'Herin, C. (2009) . Research Brief 3(1), Tots 'n Tech Research Institute.
• CONNECT: The Center to Mobilize Early Childhood Knowledge (Funded by OSEP (2008-2014)
• An Evidence-Based Approach to Professional In-service Training . Trivette, C., and Dunst, C. (2009) . Presentation made at the OSEP Project Directors' Conference, July 23, 2009, Washington, DC
• IRIS Center : See their collection of Evidence-Based Practice Summaries
• Effects of Preschool Curriculum Programs on School Readiness: Report from the Preschool Curriculum Evaluation Research Initiative (2008) . Results of a study funded by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES)
• Programs That Work, from the Promising Practices Network on Children, Families and Communities (2014)

See also: Multiple Early Childhood Topics

• Compendium of Screening Measures for Young Children (2014) : A collection of research -based screening tools published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) as part of the Birth to 5: Watch Me Thrive! initiative.
• The Evidence Behind Developmental Screening Instruments . Macy, M. (2012) . Infants and Young Children, 25 (1), 19-61. doi: 10.1097/IYC.0b013e31823d37dd
• National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (NCPMI) (Funded by OSEP (2017-2022)
• Self-Regulation and Toxic Stress Report 3: A Comprehensive Review of Self-Regulation Interventions from Birth Through Young Adulthood (OPRE Report # 2016-34, February 2016): Appendix C includes information about effect size outcomes by intervention and developmental groups (including birth through age 2, preschool, etc.)

What Is Early Childhood Development? A Guide to the Science (ECD 1.0)

Healthy development in the early years (particularly birth to three) provides the building blocks for educational achievement, economic productivity, responsible citizenship, lifelong health, strong communities, and successful parenting of the next generation. What can we do during this incredibly important period to ensure that children have a strong foundation for future development? The Center on the Developing Child created this Guide to Early Childhood Development (ECD) to help parents, caregivers, practitioners, and policymakers understand the importance of early childhood development and learn how to support children and families during this critical stage.

Visit “ Introducing ECD 2.0 ” for new resources that build on the knowledge presented below.

Step 1: Why Is Early Childhood Important?

This section introduces you to the science that connects early experiences from birth (and even before birth) to future learning capacity, behaviors, and physical and mental health.

This 3-minute video portrays how actions taken by parents, teachers, policymakers, and others can affect life outcomes for both the child and the surrounding community.

InBrief: The Science of Early Childhood Development

This video from the InBrief series addresses basic concepts of early childhood development, established over decades of neuroscience and behavioral research.

This brief explains how the science of early brain development can inform investments in early childhood, and helps to illustrate why child development—particularly from birth to five years—is a foundation for a prosperous and sustainable society.

Step 2: How Does Early Child Development Happen?

Now that you understand the importance of ECD, this section digs deeper into the science, including how early experiences and relationships impact and shape the circuitry of the brain, and how exposure to toxic stress can weaken the architecture of the developing brain.

Three Core Concepts in Early Development

Advances in neuroscience, molecular biology, and genomics now give us a much better understanding of how early experiences are built into our bodies and brains, for better or worse. This three-part video series explains.

8 Things to Remember about Child Development

In this important list, featured in the From Best Practices to Breakthrough Impacts report, the Center on the Developing Child sets the record straight about some aspects of early child development.

InBrief: The Science of Resilience

This brief summarizes the science of  resilience and explains why understanding it will help us design policies and programs that enable more children to reach their full potential.

Step 3: What Can We Do to Support Child Development?

Understanding how important early experiences and relationships are to lifelong development is one step in supporting children and families. The next step is to apply that knowledge to current practices and policies. This section provides practical ways that practitioners and policymakers can support ECD and improve outcomes for children and families.

From Best Practices to Breakthrough Impacts

This report synthesizes 15 years of dramatic advances in the science of early childhood and early brain development and presents a framework for driving science-based innovation in early childhood policy and practice.

Three Principles to Improve Outcomes for Children and Families

Understanding how the experiences children have starting at birth, even prenatally, affect lifelong outcomes—as well as the core capabilities adults need to thrive—provides a strong foundation upon which policymakers and civic leaders can design a shared and more effective agenda.

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Technology/Media Use in Early Childhood Education: Publication Trends in the U.S. from 2013 to 2022

• Published: 24 May 2024

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• Boh Young Lee   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-9675-8216 1  

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This paper examines the research publication trends in the United States regarding the use of technology and media with or for young children (infants, toddlers, and preschoolers) from 2013 to 2022 after the joint National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and Fred Rogers Center (FRC) position statement was released in 2012 to indicate areas for further exploration. Articles were carefully selected with predetermined exclusion criteria within three chosen databases that cover professional and scholarly peer-reviewed journals in a variety of areas in education. The final 124 articles were analyzed and categorized with predefined categories: publication year, type of article participants, methodology, research setting, purpose(s) of study.

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Lee, B.Y. Technology/Media Use in Early Childhood Education: Publication Trends in the U.S. from 2013 to 2022. Early Childhood Educ J (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-024-01684-y

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201 Early Childhood Education Research Topics & Essay Examples

📝 early childhood education research papers examples, 🎓 simple research topics about early childhood education, 👍 good early childhood education essay topics to write about, ⭐ interesting topics to write about early childhood education, ✅ easy early childhood education topics for an essay, 🏆 best early childhood education essay titles, ✍️ early childhood education essay topics for college, ❓ early childhood education research questions.

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• Understanding the Early Childhood Development Understanding the underlying intricacies and specificities of early child development is crucially relevant for these young individuals education.
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• Play Influence on Child’s Development, Learning, and School Readiness This paper aims to discuss various theories and philosophical approaches that outline some advantages of providing children with adequate playtime.
• Strive Preschool: Using Information Systems in a Preschool The school should start by establishing the necessary roles and activities and using IT budget to buy, maintain, and update software and hardware.
• Promoting Early Development through Parent-Teacher Collaboration and Student Engagement Early childhood education plays a major role in building the skill set that allows a child to develop at a reasonably fast pace and acquire the needed abilities in due time.
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• A Fire Safety Class Held in a Preschool The paper states that the case illustrates a fire safety class held in a preschool. Children were taught the basics of emergency case information.
• Concept Formation in Early Years of Education Early childhood education requires a systemic model of teaching by having a planned assessment and tools that necessitate the conceptualization of key elements for learners.
• Personal Code of Ethics for Early Childhood Educator A code of ethics is important for people not only as individuals but as professionals as well. It represents moral, religious, and cultural upbringing.
• Planning and Teaching in a Preschool Setting The teacher's job is to plan learning activities that begin with the development of learning objectives and continue through implementation and evaluation in a preschool setting.
• Physical Development in Florida Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program The observed Pre-K program had an emphasis on physical development, which incorporated elements of math, reading, music, and arts.
• Reggio Emilia’s Approaches to Children’s Education The task of educating infants and toddlers is a complex initiative that requires adopting appropriate frameworks for better results.
• Diversity in Early Childhood Education The increasing diversity in early childhood education settings requires teachers to become competent in inclusive teaching practice, and challenge biases to promote social justice.
• Creating a Personal Philosophy of Early Childhood Education The role of a preschool teacher is to provide intellectual and moral development and encouragement of children’s ideas to reveal potential talents and abilities.
• Early Education (NAEYC) Accreditation Process NAEYC accreditation is beneficial for early childhood education centers because it provides staff’s enhanced commitment to the work and parental satisfaction.
• Lesson Plans for Preschool and Second Grade During the math lesson, it is necessary to observe whether children show increased use of part-whole skills, and division of things into smaller objects.
• Creating Early Years Learning Environments The purpose of the paper is to investigate the principles of stimulating children's curiosity, as well as creating the proper context as part of the learning environment.
• Early Child Education: Developing Effective Learning Methods The paper describes how to develop strong relationships with young learners. It shows how teachers should develop relationships through shared experiences.
• Preschool Education in China and Japan Preschool education in China serves several purposes, from child care to educational preparation. Meanwhile, the Japanese preschool system is more directed toward socialization.
• Diversity in Early Childhood School Setting In today's multicultural society, classrooms all over the globe are becoming diverse. This means that schools now admit increased numbers of children from diverse cultures.
• Early Childhood Educators' Influence on Society This paper is a reflection on Early Childhood educators regarding their societal role, standing, and their influence in society.
• The Qualities of the Perfect Candidate to Work in the Field of Early Care and Education This paper discusses several concepts essential for working in Early Care and Education and becoming a professional in helping children realize their potential.
• History of Inclusion in Early Childhood Education Creating schools with special needs was the first step to their inclusion into society, followed by integration: allowing them to visit a regular school.
• Play in Early Childhood Special Education Although children with disabilities might need additional educators’ guidance, they should not be excluded from playing, as it provides them with developmental opportunities.
• Early Children’s Development and Learning: Philosophy Statement This paper contains a brief description of the philosophy statement regarding early children’s development and learning.
• The College of Early Childhood Educators The importance of the early childhood educator's involvement in the well-being, learning, and development of children cannot be overstated.
• Trends in Pre-K Education in North Carolina The current essay will cover the curriculum of the preschool programs and also analyze the current state of the pre-K movement in North Carolina.
• Standards of High-Quality Early Childhood Classroom The markers and standards of a high-quality early childhood classroom include educational materials, facilities, health practices, and staff professionalism, among others.
• Stress in Early Childhood Education Early childhood education is crucial to the child's mental development, and the movie "No Small Matter" reveals curious insights into the topic.
• The Preschool Program's Design Analysis This paper aims to design a preschool daycare program for children aged three to five and discuss the activities to enhance their social, emotional, physical, and cognitive skills.
• Characteristics of Effective Early Childhood Teachers “Twelve Characteristics of Effective Early Childhood Teachers” explains the phenomenological attributes of each quality, ranging from passion to a sense of humor.
• Praise and Encouragement in Early Childhood Education The article discusses approaching the children in school-based activities in class, which includes giving credit where it deserves by improving a child's potential.
• A Lesson Concept in the Early Education Importantly, children of kindergarten and early school age already have nascent preferences and views on visual art.
• Early Childhood Education in India Today's preschool education system in India is designed so that parents can rest assured of their children who have been trained in such groups.
• Social-Emotional Skills Program for Preschoolers During the early 21st century, it was reported that the ability to regulate behaviors and emotions could be seen as the fundamental skills showcasing a child’s school readiness.
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Great news, parents: You do have power over your tweens' screen use

Restricting use in bedrooms and at mealtimes have the biggest impact, but modeling good behavior is also important.

For many parents, it can feel like curbing kids' screen use is a losing battle. But new research from UC San Francisco (UCSF) has found the parenting practices that work best to curb screen time and addictive screen behavior: restricting screens in bedrooms and at mealtimes and modeling healthy practices at home.

Researchers asked 12- to 13-year-olds how often they used screens for everything but school, including gaming, texting, social media, video chatting, watching videos and browsing the internet; and whether their screen use was problematic.

Then, they asked parents how they used their own screens in front of their kids, how they monitored and restricted their kids' screen use, and whether they used it to reward or punish behavior. They also asked about the family's use of screens at mealtimes and the child's use of screens in the bedroom.

Using screens in bedrooms and at mealtime were linked to increased time and addictive use. But use went down when parents kept track of and limited their kids' screen time, and when they modeled healthy behavior themselves.

"These results are heartening because they give parents some concrete strategies they can use with their tweens and young teens: set screen time limits, keep track of your kids' screen use, and avoid screens in bedrooms and at mealtimes," said Jason Nagata, MD, a pediatrician at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals and the first author of the study, publishing June 5 in Pediatric Research . "Also, try to practice what you preach."

Refining AAP guidance

The study analyzed the effectiveness on tweens of parenting strategies recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics' (AAP) for children and adolescents aged 5 to 18 years old. It is one of the few studies to examine how parenting practices affect screen use in early adolescence, when children start to become more independent.

"We wanted to look at young adolescents in particular, because they are at a stage when mobile phone and social media use often ramps up and sets the course for future habits," Nagata said.

The researchers collected data from 10,048 U.S. participants, 46% of whom were racial or ethnic minorities, from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study.

Parents were asked to rate, on a scale of 1 to 4, their level of agreement with such statements as, "My child falls asleep using a screen-based device."

The researchers then looked to see how the level of parental agreement predicted the children's daily screen time, and found it went up 1.6 hours for each additional point related to bedroom screen use. The same held true for using screens at mealtimes, which added 1.24 hours. Poor modeling by parents added 0.66 hours.

Limiting and monitoring their kids' screen time reduced it by 1.29 hours and 0.83 hours, respectively. But using screen time as either a reward or a punishment was not effective, resulting in 0.36 more hours, as well as more problematic video game use.

Used in moderation, screens can help maintain social connections and foster community, but especially for children, problematic use can lead to mental health problems, as well as physical inactivity and problems with sleep.

"Screen time at bedtime displaces sleep time, which is essential for health and development in young adolescents," Nagata said. "Parents can consider keeping screens outside their children's bedroom and turning off devices and notifications overnight."

• Child Psychology
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• Video Games
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Materials provided by University of California - San Francisco . Original written by Jess Berthold. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

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• Jason M. Nagata, Angel Paul, Felicia Yen, Zacariah Smith-Russack, Iris Yuefan Shao, Abubakr A. A. Al-shoaibi, Kyle T. Ganson, Alexander Testa, Orsolya Kiss, Jinbo He, Fiona C. Baker. Associations between media parenting practices and early adolescent screen use . Pediatric Research , 2024; DOI: 10.1038/s41390-024-03243-y

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NO 2 indicates nitrogen dioxide; PM 2.5 , particulate matter under 2.5 μm; and WHO, World Health Organization. Shading in panel A represents IQRs.

Results are from model 3, which is adjusted for ethnicity, family psychiatric history, maternal social class, maternal education, house tenure, population density, neighborhood deprivation, social fragmentation, and greenspace. Sample sizes of imputed data sets range from 2952 (adolescence noise pollution and psychotic experiences) to 6154 (pregnancy air pollution and anxiety). NO 2 indicates nitrogen dioxide; OR, odds ratio; and PM 2.5 , particulate matter less than 2.5 μm.

eMethods. Participants, pollution data, covariates, and multiple imputation

eResults. Findings from sensitivity analyses

eDiscussion. Interpretation of sensitivity analyses

eFigure 1. Correlations between NO2, PM2.5, and noise pollution across pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence

eFigure 2. Directed acyclic graph (DAG)

eTable 1. Association of early-life noise pollution exposure with youth mental health problems, treating noise pollution as a categorical variable

eTable 2. Comparison between e-value and covariate point estimates: pregnancy PM2.5 and psychotic experiences

eTable 3. Comparison between e-value and covariate point estimates: adolescent noise pollution and anxiety

eTable 4. Adjusting pollutants for one another: associations of early-life air and noise pollution exposure with youth mental health problems

eTable 5. Restricting to non-movers (~30% of participants): associations of early-life air and noise pollution exposure with youth mental health problems

eTable 6. Complete case analysis: associations of early-life air and noise pollution exposure with youth mental health problems

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Newbury JB , Heron J , Kirkbride JB, et al. Air and Noise Pollution Exposure in Early Life and Mental Health From Adolescence to Young Adulthood. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(5):e2412169. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.12169

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Air and Noise Pollution Exposure in Early Life and Mental Health From Adolescence to Young Adulthood

• 1 Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
• 2 Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
• 3 PsyLife Group, Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, United Kingdom
• 4 ESRC Centre for Society and Mental Health, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
• 5 Department of Biostatistics and Health Informatics, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
• 6 Centre for Implementation Science, Health Service and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
• 7 UK Longitudinal Linkage Collaboration, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
• 8 MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom

Question   Is exposure to air and noise pollution in pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence associated with the development of psychotic experiences, depression, and anxiety between 13 and 24 years of age?

Findings   In this longitudinal birth cohort study followed up into adulthood that included 9065 participants with mental health data, higher exposure to fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) in pregnancy and childhood was associated with increased psychotic experiences and in pregnancy was associated with higher rates of depression. Higher noise pollution exposure in childhood and adolescence was associated with increased anxiety.

Meaning   These findings build on evidence associating air and noise pollution with mental health, highlighting a role of early-life pollution exposure in youth mental health problems.

Importance   Growing evidence associates air pollution exposure with various psychiatric disorders. However, the importance of early-life (eg, prenatal) air pollution exposure to mental health during youth is poorly understood, and few longitudinal studies have investigated the association of noise pollution with youth mental health.

Objectives   To examine the longitudinal associations of air and noise pollution exposure in pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence with psychotic experiences, depression, and anxiety in youths from ages 13 to 24 years.

Design, Setting, and Participants   This cohort study used data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, an ongoing longitudinal birth cohort founded in 1991 through 1993 in Southwest England, United Kingdom. The cohort includes over 14 000 infants with due dates between April 1, 1991, and December 31, 1992, who were subsequently followed up into adulthood. Data were analyzed October 29, 2021, to March 11, 2024.

Exposures   A novel linkage (completed in 2020) was performed to link high-resolution (100 m 2 ) estimates of nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), fine particulate matter under 2.5 μm (PM 2.5 ), and noise pollution to home addresses from pregnancy to 12 years of age.

Main outcomes and measures   Psychotic experiences, depression, and anxiety were measured at ages 13, 18, and 24 years. Logistic regression models controlled for key individual-, family-, and area-level confounders.

Results   This cohort study included 9065 participants who had any mental health data, of whom (with sample size varying by parameter) 51.4% (4657 of 9051) were female, 19.5% (1544 of 7910) reported psychotic experiences, 11.4% (947 of 8344) reported depression, and 9.7% (811 of 8398) reported anxiety. Mean (SD) age at follow-up was 24.5 (0.8) years. After covariate adjustment, IQR increases (0.72 μg/m 3 ) in PM 2.5 levels during pregnancy (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.11 [95% CI, 1.04-1.19]; P  = .002) and during childhood (AOR, 1.09 [95% CI, 1.00-1.10]; P  = .04) were associated with elevated odds for psychotic experiences. Pregnancy PM 2.5 exposure was also associated with depression (AOR, 1.10 [95% CI, 1.02-1.18]; P  = .01). Higher noise pollution exposure in childhood (AOR, 1.19 [95% CI, 1.03-1.38]; P  = .02) and adolescence (AOR, 1.22 [95% CI, 1.02-1.45]; P  = .03) was associated with elevated odds for anxiety.

Conclusions and Relevance   In this longitudinal cohort study, early-life air and noise pollution exposure were prospectively associated with 3 common mental health problems from adolescence to young adulthood. There was a degree of specificity in terms of pollutant-timing-outcome associations. Interventions to reduce air and noise pollution exposure (eg, clean air zones) could potentially improve population mental health. Replication using quasi-experimental designs is now needed to shed further light on the underlying causes of these associations.

Childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood are critical periods for the development of psychiatric disorders: worldwide, nearly two-thirds of individuals affected become unwell by 25 years of age. 1 Identifying early-life risk factors is a crucial research challenge in developing preventative interventions and improving lifelong mental health trajectories.

Growing evidence suggests that air pollution exposure may be associated with the onset of psychiatric problems, including mood, affective, and psychotic disorders. 2 - 6 Air pollution comprises toxic gases and particulate matter (ie, organic and inorganic solid and liquid aerosols) of mostly anthropogenic origin. 7 Understanding the potential effect of air pollution on mental health is increasingly crucial, given the human and societal cost of poor mental health, 8 the global shift toward urban living, 9 , 10 and the backdrop of emissions-induced climate change. 11 Air pollution could negatively affect mental health via numerous pathways, including by compromising the blood-brain barrier, promoting neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, and directly entering the brain and damaging tissue therein. 12 , 13 However, key research gaps remain. First, the relative importance of early-life exposure, including prenatal exposure, is uncertain. Infants and children are thought to be especially vulnerable to air pollution, 14 , 15 but longitudinal, high-resolution pollution data spanning the early years of human life are scarce. Second, relatively few studies have examined the association of air pollution with youth mental health problems, 16 despite youth being a critical period for intervention. Third, few longitudinal studies have investigated the role of noise pollution in mental health, 17 despite the correlation between noise and air pollution. 18 Finally, studies have often used crude pollution data and lacked adequate controls for potential confounders.

We aimed to advance understanding on this topic by capitalizing on a novel linkage between high-resolution outdoor air and noise pollution data and a cohort of over 14 000 infants born in Southwest England in 1991 through 1993 and followed up into adulthood. We examined the association of air and noise pollution exposure from pregnancy to 12 years of age with mental health problems from ages 13 to 24 years. Based on previous evidence, we focused on psychotic experiences (eg, subclinical hallucinations and delusions), depression, and anxiety. These problems are common 1 , 19 - 21 and increasing 22 among youth and strongly predict future psychopathology, 23 , 24 making them useful and important targets. We hypothesized that participants exposed to higher air and noise pollution would subsequently experience worse mental health.

The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) is a UK birth cohort, 25 - 28 described further in the eMethods in Supplement 1 . Briefly, pregnant women residing in and around the City of Bristol (population approximately 714 000 in 2024) in Southwest England with due dates between April 1, 1991, and December 31, 1992, were approached to take part in the study. The initial number of pregnancies enrolled was 14 551, resulting in 13 988 children alive at 1 year of age. At age 7 years, the initial sample was bolstered with additional eligible cases, resulting in 14 901 infants alive at 1 year of age. The catchment area has a mix of urban, suburban, and rural environments. 29 The study website contains details of all the data and a fully searchable data dictionary and variable search tool. 30 Ethical approval for the study was obtained from the ALSPAC Ethics and Law Committee and the Local Research Ethics Committees. Informed consent for the use of data collected via questionnaires and clinics was obtained from participants following the recommendations of the ALSPAC Ethics and Law Committee at the time. The present study is reported according to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology ( STROBE ) reporting guideline. 31

Psychotic experiences were measured at ages 13, 18, and 24 years using a semi-structured interview 32 that consisted of 12 core items about hallucinations, delusions, and thought interference, rated against the Schedule for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry version 2.0 (SCAN 2.0). 33 Consistent with previous ALSPAC studies, 34 , 35 psychotic experiences were defined such that 0 represented none, and 1 represented suspected or definite. The reporting period at each phase was since the participant’s 12th birthday. At 13 years of age, 13.6% (926 of 6788) of participants reported psychotic experiences, at 18 years of age 9.2% (432 of 4715) reported psychotic experiences, and at 24 years of age, 12.6% (491 of 3888) reported psychotic experiences. We summed psychotic experiences across time points and dichotomized the variable for analyses such that participants received a score of 1 for suspected or definite psychotic experiences if they reported psychotic experiences at any age.

Depression and anxiety were measured at age 13 years via parent-completed Development and Well-being Assessments. 36 Responses were classified into probabilistic bands according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fourth Edition) criteria for major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, and dichotomized for analysis (bands 0-2, 0; bands 3-5, 1). At ages 18 and 24 years, depression and anxiety were measured using the Clinical Interview Schedule Revised, 37 a self-administered computerized interview that gave International Statistical Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision , diagnoses of moderate to severe depression and generalized anxiety disorder. The reporting period at each phase was the past month, although a 6-month reporting period was used for anxiety at 13 years of age. At 13 years of age, 5.6% (386 of 6944 of participants) reported depression and 3.6% (254 of 7044) reported anxiety. At 18 years of age, 7.9% (359 of 4560) reported depression and 5.7% (262 of 4560) reported anxiety. At 24 years of age, 7.7% (304 of 3965) reported depression and 9.8% (386 of 3956) reported anxiety. We summed depression and anxiety across time points and dichotomized the variables for analysis such that participants received a score of 1 if they had depression or anxiety at any age.

Air pollutants included nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) and fine particulate matter with a diameter smaller than 2.5 μm (PM 2.5 ). Both pollutants have well-established health impacts 10 and more recent associations with psychiatric disorders. 5 These air pollutants were estimated as part of the LifeCycle project 38 using the Effects of Low-Level Air Pollution: A Study in Europe (ELAPSE) model, which is described elsewhere and further in the eMethods in Supplement 1 . 39 Briefly, the ELAPSE model is a hybrid land-use regression model for Europe that derived concentrations of NO 2 and PM 2.5 in 2010. The model produces annualized estimates at 100 m 2 resolution, explaining 59% and 71% of measured spatial variability for NO 2 and PM 2.5 , respectively. 39 Estimates were linked to residential geocodes from pregnancy to age 12 years for participants who had lived in the original ALSPAC catchment area 29 up to 12 years of age and provided permission for geospatial linkage. Linkage was completed in 2020.

Residential noise pollution exposure was also estimated as part of the LifeCycle project 38 based on the UK Government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 2006 road traffic noise map. Data represent an annualized mean of day and night noise pollution, categorized according to low to medium (<55 dB: the European Environment Agency’s threshold 40 ), high (55-60 dB), and very high (>60 dB) noise. eFigure 1 in Supplement 1 shows the correlation between noise pollution, NO 2 , and PM 2.5 across time points.

Potential confounders were informed by the literature and formally selected using a directed acyclic graph (eFigure 2 in Supplement 1 ). We considered individual- and family-level covariates that could be associated with mental health problems and with downward mobility into more polluted neighborhoods. These included ethnicity self-reported by mothers during pregnancy, family psychiatric history, maternal social class, maternal education, and housing tenure. Area-level covariates included population density, neighborhood deprivation, social fragmentation, and greenspace and were time varying, corresponding to the timing of pollution exposure. Covariates are described fully in the eMethods in Supplement 1 and briefly below.

Race and ethnic group was reported by mothers during pregnancy, with specific categories to select including Bangladeshi, Black/African, Black/Caribbean, Black/other, Chinese, Indian, Pakistani, White, and any other ethnic group. Family psychiatric problems were reported by mothers and fathers during pregnancy and defined as the presence of any psychiatric problem affecting the mother, father, or any biological grandparent. Maternal social class based on occupation was reported by mothers during pregnancy. Maternal education was reported by mothers when infants were around 8 months. Home ownership was reported by mothers during pregnancy.

Population density was derived from 1991 and 2001 census data. 35 Area-level deprivation was based on the Index of Multiple Deprivation 2000. 41 Social fragmentation was based on a z-scored sum of census data on residential mobility, marital status, single-person households, and home ownership. 35 Greenspace was assessed based on the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index. 42

Analyses were performed from October 29, 2021, to March 11, 2024, in Stata, version 18.0 (StataCorp LLC). The code can be found at GitHub. 43 The characteristics of the sample with vs without mental health data were described according to percentages, means, and standard deviations. Group differences were explored using χ 2 and t tests. To explore the importance of different exposure periods, we derived exposure estimates for 3 developmental stages, pregnancy, childhood (birth to age 9 years), and adolescence (ages 10-12 years), 44 which were calculated using mean exposure values for NO 2 , PM 2.5 , and noise pollution during these age windows. Given that NO 2 and PM 2.5 had very different absolute ranges, scores were standardized by dividing by the IQR. To aid comparison between air and noise pollution, we treated noise pollution as a continuous variable, assuming a normal distribution underlying the categorical variable. Results treating noise as categorical are reported in eTable 1 in Supplement 1 .

For main analyses, logistic regression was used to examine the associations of NO 2 , PM 2.5 , and noise pollution in pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence with the mental health outcomes. We conducted an unadjusted model (model 1), then adjusted for individual- and family-level covariates (model 2), and then additionally adjusted for area-level covariates (model 3). To better understand the independent associations from different exposure periods, we then adjusted childhood and adolescent exposure for previous exposure (model 4). However, given that the high correlation between pollutants over time (eFigure 1 in Supplement 1 ) could introduce multicollinearity, we interpreted model 4 with caution. To estimate residual confounding, we also calculated E values 45 for models 3 and 4, which indicate the strength of association that an unmeasured confounder would require to nullify associations. All models accounted for potential hierarchy in the data by clustering around the lower layer super output area (containing a mean of about 1500 residents) using the cluster command, which provides robust SEs adjusted for within cluster correlated data. 46 All analyses were conducted following multiple imputation by chained equations, 47 described in the eMethods in Supplement 1 . A 2-sided value of P  < .05 was considered statistically significant.

We conducted 3 sensitivity analyses. First, we analyzed NO 2 , PM 2.5 , and noise pollution simultaneously, to control each for the others and address potential copollutant confounding. Second, we restricted analyses to participants who did not move house from pregnancy to age 12 years (29.8%) to keep pollution levels as consistent as possible over time. Third, we repeated main analyses for individuals with complete data.

The study included 9065 participants (mean [SD] age at follow-up, 24.5 [0.8] years) who had any mental health data, of whom (with sample sizes varying by parameter) 51.4% (4657 of 9051) were female, 48.6% (4394 of 9051) were male, 95.8% (7616 of 7954) were ethnically White, and 4.2% (338 of 7954) were of other ethnicity (which included Bangladeshi, Black African, Black Caribbean, Chinese, Indian, Pakistani, and others; these categories were collapsed into one because numbers in some categories were small enough to increase the risk of identification). In addition, 19.5% (1544 of 7910) reported psychotic experiences, 11.4% (947 of 8344) reported depression, and 9.7% (811 of 8398) reported anxiety ( Table 1 ). Over half of participants (60.8% [4793 of 7886]) had a family psychiatric history; 21.8% (1583 of 7248) had mothers who worked in manual occupations; 15.7% (1274 of 8093) had mothers with degrees; and 81.6% (6670 of 8176) lived in homes owned by their parent (or parents). Mean (SD) population density was 33 (21) persons per hectare, and 19.3% (933 of 4831) of participants lived in the most deprived neighborhoods. The sample with vs without mental health data differed for most variables: participants with mental health data were more likely to be female, be White, have a family psychiatric history, and have more advantaged characteristics across the other variables. These differences should be borne in mind when interpreting the results.

Figure 1 A shows estimated levels of NO 2 and PM 2.5 for the sample, alongside the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2021 exposure thresholds. 48 Mean (SD) levels of NO 2 (eg, 26.9 [4.2] μg/m 3 in pregnancy vs 21.1 [3.5] μg/m 3 at 12 years of age) and PM 2.5 (eg, 13.3 [0.9] μg/m 3 in pregnancy vs 10.7 [0.8] μg/m 3 at 12 years of age) decreased slightly over time. However, the mean exposure at age 12 years remained above the WHO’s thresholds for both pollutants (NO 2 , 10.0 μg/m 3 ; PM 2.5 , 5.0 μg/m 3 ). Additionally, over two-thirds of participants were exposed to high or very high noise pollution, 40 which changed little over time (eg, 22.7% in pregnancy vs 22.2% at year 12 for high noise pollution) ( Figure 1 B).

Associations of levels of NO 2, PM 2.5 , and noise pollution with psychotic experiences, depression, and anxiety are given in Table 2 , which shows unadjusted and adjusted results alongside E values, and Figure 2 , which shows model 3 results. Before covariate adjustment, IQR (4.47 μg/m 3 ) increases in NO 2 levels during pregnancy were associated with elevated odds for psychotic experiences (odds ratio [OR], 1.08, [95% CI, 1.00-1.17]; P  = .04). However, there was no association after adjusting for area-level covariates. In contrast, following covariate adjustment, IQR (0.72 μg/m 3 ) increases in PM 2.5 during pregnancy (adjusted [A]OR, 1.11 [95% CI, 1.04-1.19]; P  = .002) and childhood (AOR, 1.09 [95% CI, 1.00-1.19]; P  = .04) were associated with elevated odds for psychotic experiences, although for childhood exposure (model 4), there was no association after adjusting for pregnancy exposure. There was no association between noise pollution and psychotic experiences (eg, AOR, 1.04 [95% CI, 0.92-1.18]; P  = .50 during pregnancy).

Following covariate adjustment, IQR increases in PM 2.5 during pregnancy were associated with elevated odds for depression (eg, AOR, 1.10 [95% CI, 1.02-1.18]; P  = .01 during pregnancy). There were no associations between NO 2 (eg, AOR, 1.10 [95% CI, 0.98-1.24]; P  = .10 during pregnancy) or noise pollution (eg, AOR, 1.02 [95% CI, 0.89-1.18]; P  = .74 during pregnancy) and depression.

Before covariate adjustment, IQR increases in NO 2 in pregnancy (OR, 1.14 [95% CI, 1.04-1.26]; P  = .006) and childhood (OR, 1.15 [95% CI, 1.03-1.27]; P  = .009) were associated with elevated odds for anxiety, but associations were attenuated to the null after adjusting for area-level covariates. There were no associations between PM 2.5 exposure during childhood and anxiety (AOR, 1.10 [95% CI, 0.97-1.25]; P = .58 for model 3). In contrast, participants exposed to higher noise pollution in childhood (AOR, 1.19 [95% CI, 1.03-1.38]; P  = .02) and in adolescence (AOR, 1.22 [95% CI, 1.02-1.45]; P  = .03) had elevated odds for anxiety; however, adolescent exposure was attenuated to the null after controlling for pregnancy and childhood exposure (model 4). eTable 1 in Supplement 1 gives results when noise pollution was treated as categorical. This analysis highlighted several dose-response associations, although no difference in model fit was observed compared with the main results.

In eTables 2 and 3 in Supplement 1 , we take as examples the associations of pregnancy PM 2.5 with psychotic experiences and adolescent noise pollution with anxiety from model 3 and compare the E values to the associations from included covariates. The E value ORs were 1.46 (lower confidence limit, 1.24) for pregnancy PM 2.5 with psychotic experiences and 1.74 (lower confidence limit, 1.16) for adolescent noise pollution with anxiety. These E value ORs were larger in magnitude than the ORs for associations of the covariates with the exposures and outcomes, indicating that an unmeasured confounder would require a relatively strong confounding influence to nullify associations.

Results from sensitivity analyses are described in the eResults in Supplement 1 , presented in eTables 4 to 6 in Supplement 1 , and addressed in the eDiscussion in Supplement 1 . Briefly, point estimates were generally similar after adjusting pollutants for each other, similar (and often higher) for participants who did not move house, and similar for complete cases, although CIs were often less precise.

In this longitudinal birth cohort study with a follow-up of approximately 25 years, participants exposed to higher PM 2.5 during pregnancy and childhood subsequently experienced more psychotic experiences and (for pregnancy exposure only) depression. In contrast, higher noise pollution in childhood and adolescence were associated subsequently with more anxiety. These associations were not explained by numerous potential individual-, family-, and area-level confounders.

Our findings suggest an important role of early-life (including prenatal) exposure to air pollution in the development of youth mental health problems. Early-life exposure could be detrimental to mental health given the extensive brain development and epigenetic processes that occur in utero and during infancy. 13 , 15 , 49 , 50 Air pollution exposure could also lead to restricted fetal growth 51 and preterm birth, 52 which are both risk factors for psychopathology. Notably, the point estimate for pregnancy PM 2.5 and depression (10% elevated odds for every 0.72 μg/m 3 increase) was considerably greater than a previous meta-analytic estimate based on exposure in adulthood (10% elevated odds for every 10 μg/m 3 increase). 2 These contrasting findings are in keeping with a particularly detrimental role of early-life air pollution exposure. However, our findings could also have arisen if early-life exposure data provide a proxy for cumulative exposure over a longer period, given that families often settle when children are young.

For noise pollution, evidence was strongest for childhood and adolescent exposure. Childhood and adolescent noise pollution exposure could increase anxiety by increasing stress and disrupting sleep, with high noise potentially leading to chronic physiological arousal and disruption to endocrinology. 53 Noise pollution could also impact cognition, 54 which could increase anxiety by impacting concentration during school years. It was interesting that noise pollution was associated with anxiety but not with psychotic experiences or depression. However, our measure of noise pollution estimated only decibels (ie, intensity) from road sources. Other qualities of noise, such as pitch, could be relevant to mental health.

We acknowledge several limitations. First, the causality of the findings is uncertain given that data were observational. Despite comprehensive covariate adjustment, residual confounding is inevitable given imperfect selection and measurement of covariates. The relatively large E values strengthened our confidence in the findings, but future studies should consider other methods to address confounding, such as quasi-experimental designs. Second, ALSPAC families are more affluent and less diverse than the UK population. 55 The extent to which our findings generalize to other populations and locations is uncertain. Our findings likely generalize to cities and surrounds in other high-income countries, but may be less generalizable to urban settings in lower-income countries, which can have more extreme pollution concentrations. 56 Third, modeled pollution data are subject to various sources of measurement error, 39 particularly Berkson-like error whereby estimates are smoother (less variable) than reality, leading to less precise, although unbiased, exposure-outcome estimates. 57 , 58 For instance, the 100 m 2 resolution, although an improvement over many previous studies, 59 - 61 would have masked hyperlocal variation (eg, differences between participants living on adjacent streets), to which NO 2 is especially prone due to its short decay function. 62 Additionally, the model estimated residential exposure, which would have masked variation due to behavior and time spent away from home. Finer-resolution data, including personal exposure estimates, would enable more precise exposure-outcome estimates, particularly for NO 2 . Fourth, we could not apply life-course models to investigate sensitive periods vs cumulative effects, as there was limited within-person variation in exposure over time. Larger data sets (eg, national registries) and quasi-experimental designs would be required to further tease out this question.

The results of this cohort study provide novel evidence that early-life exposure to particulate matter is prospectively associated with the development of psychotic experiences and depression in youth. This study, which is among only a handful of longitudinal studies to investigate the association between noise pollution and mental health, also finds an association with anxiety. The findings suggest a degree of specificity in terms of pollutant-timing-outcome pathways. The opportunity for intervention is potentially enormous. However, although our this study addressed various biases affecting observational research, the causality of the findings remains uncertain. There is now a pressing need for further longitudinal research using more precise measures of air and noise pollution and for replication using quasi-experimental designs.

Accepted for Publication: March 15, 2023.

Published: May 28, 2024. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.12169

Open Access: This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the CC-BY License . © 2024 Newbury JB et al. JAMA Network Open .

Corresponding Author: Joanne B. Newbury, PhD, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, Oakfield House, Bristol, BS8 2BN, United Kingdom ( [email protected] ).

Author Contributions: Dr Newbury had full access to all of the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.

Concept and design: Newbury, Kirkbride, Fisher, Bakolis.

Acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data: Newbury, Heron, Kirkbride, Boyd, Thomas, Zammit.

Drafting of the manuscript: Newbury.

Critical review of the manuscript for important intellectual content: All authors.

Statistical analysis: Newbury, Heron, Bakolis.

Obtained funding: Newbury, Zammit.

Administrative, technical, or material support: Boyd, Thomas.

Supervision: Heron, Kirkbride, Fisher, Bakolis, Zammit.

Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Prof Fisher reported receiving grants from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) during the conduct of the study. Dr Heron and Prof Zammit are supported by a grant from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre. Prof Fisher is supported by the ESRC Centre for Society and Mental Health at King’s College London. Dr Bakolis is supported in part by the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust and King’s College London and by the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration South London (NIHR ARC South London) at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Messrs Boyd and Thomas are funded by the UK Medical Research Council (MRC) and ESRC to develop centralized record linkage services via the UK Longitudinal Linkage Collaboration and by Health Data Research UK to support the development of social and environmental epidemiology in longitudinal studies. No other disclosures were reported.

Funding/Support: The UK MRC and Wellcome Trust (grant 217065/Z/19/Z) and the University of Bristol provide core support for the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). This research was funded in whole, or in part, by grant 218632/Z/19/Z from the Wellcome Trust. This research was specifically funded by grants from the UK MRC to collect data on psychotic experiences, depression, and anxiety (MR/M006727/1 and G0701503/85179 to Prof Zammit); and a grant from the Natural Environment Research Council to facilitate linkage to geospatial and natural environment data (R8/H12/83/NE/P01830/1 to Mr Boyd). Dr Newbury is funded by Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellowship 218632/Z/19/Z from the Wellcome Trust and grant COV19/200057 from the British Academy.

Role of the Funder/Sponsor: The funders had no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; and decision to submit the manuscript for publication.

Disclaimer: This publication is the work of the authors, and they serve as guarantors for the contents of this paper. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the ESRC or King’s College London.

Data Sharing Statement: See Supplement 2 .

Additional Contributions: We are extremely grateful to all the families who took part in this study; the midwives for their help in recruiting them; and the whole ALSPAC team, which includes interviewers, computer and laboratory technicians, clerical workers, research scientists, volunteers, managers, receptionists, and nurses. We are also extremely grateful to ISGlobal, Barcelona, for conducting the LifeCycle project and generating the air and noise pollution data.

Additional Information: A comprehensive list of grant funding is available on the ALSPAC website ( http://www.bristol.ac.uk/alspac/external/documents/grant-acknowledgments.pdf ).

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Co-existence of two institutions is empowering women and supporting early childhood development, bresana, a success story of women empowerment and independence.

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Can an early childhood education institution and a school operate together within a shared space that blends both of their missions?

Bresana, the largest village in the region of Opoja and only 15 kilometres distance from Dragash, is one of many champion villages in Kosovo joining such institutions.

Complementing two existing pre-primary classes for five-year-old children, two additional classes for early childhood education (ECE) for children of aged three and four has been opened. This expansion has significantly increased the once rare centre-based opportunities for early development and educational support. Following the model of other community-based centers, these classes are located within the primary and lower secondary school, which in Bresane is the "28 Nentori" school.

Community-Based ECE Centers

Since October 2023, Azra Trupaj Sallahi has been waking up in the morning and heading towards the two classes, constituting the community-based centers, embodying dual roles of educator and mother. Her daughter attends third grade, and her son is in fifth grade at the ‘28 Nëntori’ Primary and Lower Secondary School. Within the same building, Azra also serves as an educator in the community-based ECE center, where from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. daily, parents and caregivers from Bresane and surrounding villages bring their little ones to play, socialize, and develop different competences that will set the foundation for their development and learning, which may will continue in the same facility for the primary education. 

At 33, Azra has recently welcomed a new baby, who will undoubtedly experience the same harmonious environment that blends early childhood education with primary schooling. 

“I feel very secure because I am constantly informed about my children’s behaviours at school, and I can respond where necessary. On the other hand, I take my work at the early education centre very seriously, because I understand that entrusting a child to someone's care and learning support is a significant responsibility that requires great attention from us. Being a mother allows me to be more affectionate even with the other children, whom I help and care for as if they were my own” said Azra, whom we encountered among the children attending the center every day.

After graduating from the Faculty of Education in Prizren, Azra took a career break but soon realized the financial challenges that could arise.

“I have also worked as a teacher in another school, but here I feel most like myself, and the whole situation allows me to love my job dearly. Being able to financially support your family, partner, and children brings even greater fulfilment. In short, you have your own money, you can choose how to contribute to your family and domestic responsibilities, you are the one who can fulfil many of your children's wishes, and all the work and sacrifices are worth it” Azra shared with us.

Azra is one of the educators at the community-based ECE center in “28 Nentori”. She and two other educators provide early learning support for about 50 children, who attend the center for two and a half hours, five days a week.

Azra's story exemplifies a love for children and their early learning and development, confrontation of societal norms, women's empowerment through employment, and a hopeful outlook for the future. Azra explains that the establishment of this small centre within the school has empowered all the women who bring their children there. Children from the villages of Kosava, Blaç, Zaplluxha, and Kuklibeg also benefit from these two classes.

“During these two and a half hours the children spend here with us, mothers have the opportunity to focus on themselves or their careers. They can work, pursue education, reflect, and actively engage in shaping their future. Initially, only mothers accompanied their children, but now we are seeing interest from fathers as well. We use various play activities to encourage girls to explore jobs typically considered men's work, and similarly, we encourage young boys to consider jobs often attributed to women. This aspect of our work is important. We especially include fathers in conversations about their children, their development, and the importance of fathers’ engagement” Azra explained.

“This center positively impacts children’s development and enables women to become independent. Initially, it is only providing services for two and a half hours, but we are also looking forward to the construction of a full-day ECE facility. Mothers do not have to rely on their mothers-in-law or mothers to care for their children. With a full-day preschool, they can become independent, pursue a career, and contribute to their family’s economy. Being a woman who contributes to your family brings you respect and authority, and makes your voice heard. Women in this village are becoming empowered, and their partners are very supportive” Azra further explained.

It is evident that Azra is making the most of her potential, and having her children attend school very close to her workplace greatly simplifies her life.

“My partner is my right-hand in decision-making; he is the key factor that enables me to work and stay close to my children. I know I am helping my family, but I am also achieving self-growth. We’ve come this far, and we will go even further” said Azra Trupaj Sallahi, an educator at the community-based ECE center in Bresana.

A full-time preschool institution for children to be opened soon

Xhylferie Bahtijari Beqiri, an assembly member in the Municipality of Dragash, deserves recognition for her role in implementing a project that benefits many children and paves the way for future generations by providing greater education opportunities.

Xhylferie Bahtijari Beqiri shares that mothers who bring their children to the center express their gratitude to her daily.

“Every time I see them at the school, I witness the joy on the faces of both children and mothers, and I realize how happy they are to see their children playing with their peers. This is the ultimate gratitude I aim to receive for my efforts. It always bothered me to see young children unable to play and socialize with each other, and this inspired me to advocate for the establishment of an ECE center within the school. I had the support of the Mayor of Dragash, UNICEF, and many others in bringing this project to life” Bahtijari Beqiri said.

“Are the women of Dragash, particularly the mothers, more integrated and empowered in making decisions about their lives today? Definitely yes,” Xhylferie said.

“Women today are part of every gathering and initiative we undertake. They come to the school and community-based ECE center to voice their demands and concerns. This was not the case in the past. Mothers are particularly grateful for this project and are eagerly awaiting the establishment of a full-day preschool institution, which will solve many remaining challenges. This is just at the initial phase, but it is proving to be highly successful. The interior inventory has been provided by ‘Devolli Corporation,’ and the educational and play activities in the classrooms are amazing, greatly contributing to the early development of these children” she continued.

“We have received strong and decisive support from UNICEF Kosovo to implement the initiative. We are eternally grateful to UNICEF. However, we hope to soon have a larger building with dedicated space for young children, operating full-time, which would enable even more independence and empowerment for our women and mothers.”

The center has a pleasant environment, with children playing everywhere, complementing the beautiful landscape of this part.

“My other child is turning three, and I plan to enroll him in this centre right away. I want him to benefit from this educational environment and the learning process” Xhylferie Bahtijari Beqiri concluded.

This initiative was launched in Bresana as a partnership between UNICEF Kosovo and “Devolli Corporation”, who have joined forces to expand early childhood education services by supporting the establishment and functioning of community-based Early Childhood Education Centers, which provide play-based and experiential learning for children aged 3 and 4 years, as well as engaging their parents/legal guardians in various activities with children; thereby extending advice for continuation of learning support in the home environment.

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