APHD Colloquium: Is it a real zoo in our home? Using a mixed-methods approach to improve measures of the early home environment.
Research consistently demonstrates that the first two years of life are sensitive periods during which warm, predictable, and responsive social interactions are important to children’s socio-emotional and cognitive development. Much of infant development occurs within the home and in the presence of multiple caregivers. As such, the early caregiving environment, which includes features of both the physical context and caregiver interactions, matters significantly. Yet, within commonly used measures of the home environment, there is a lack of specificity in what elements of the caregiving environment are being measured and how these features or experiences are perceived by caregivers. Furthermore, the prototype of an ideal caregiving environment represented within the literature may not accurately consider socioeconomic or cultural variability.
This presentation will highlight data from a mixed-methods study where caregivers from diverse sociodemographic backgrounds were asked to describe their home environment (e.g., daily routines, physical characteristics of their home, parenting pressures), as well as provide feedback on how they perceive items on the frequently used CHAOS (Commotion, Hubbub, and Order Scale) survey. Improving measures to better capture early experiences that shape development is a necessary step in combating bias and will contribute to our understanding of the many pathways through which adaptations to the environment impact brain and behavior.
Event Agenda
- 1:00 - 2:00 PM: Presentation
- 2:00 - 2:30 PM: Audience Q&A
About the Speaker
Dr. Natalie Brito
Dr. Natalie Hiromi Brito is a developmental psychologist and Associate Professor at Columbia University. She is the director of the Infant Studies of Learning and Neurocognitive Development (ISLAND) Lab, where her research explores how social and cultural contexts shape the trajectory of brain and behavioral development, with the goal of better understanding how to best support caregivers and create environments that foster healthy child development. Specifically, ongoing studies in her lab examine how the home environment, including caregiver mental health and parent-child interactions, may influence the development of early cognitive and socioemotional skills. Natalie is also the Board Chair of a NYC-based non-profit called Social Creatures, whose mission is to promote overall health by cultivating connected, inclusive communities.
