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Research is an integral component of The Hincks-Dellcrest Centre. A
range of research activities examines the causes and the
developmental processes associated with children's mental health
problems and evaluates new methods of treatment.
This project evaluated an innovative strategy for treating troubled
parent-infant relationships comparing it to a more traditional
psychotherapeutic approach. Research findings indicated that
although both treatments were successful, the Watch, Wait, and
Wonder intervention brought about more rapid changes in infant
attachment security, maternal well-being, parenting confidence, and
infant development. Research of this kind is important to help
parents and infants who are referred for mental health treatment.
Approximately one-half of the children attending mental health
clinics have language impairments. This study is examining the
quality of children's language and communication skills in
emotionally provocative situations. The findings of this research
will help to understand factors that influence children's social and
emotional functioning. Research of this kind is important because
both educational and therapeutic programs rely heavily on language
skills.
TLC3 is a national project that is providing quality early learning
programs for children aged birth to five years, at seven sites
across Canada. The project is aimed at discovering the kinds of
programs that work best with children in different settings to
foster early language and cognitive development. Research of this
kind is important to understand the characteristics of early
environments necessary for readiness to learn and engagement in
healthy social relationships.
This evaluation is examining the implementation and outcomes of a
crime prevention initiative for high-need, under-resourced families
with children aged 2 to 6 years. The program combines
wilderness/challenge-based programming with community based
follow-up activities and has three broad objects which are to
strengthen family relationships, provide mothers with skill- and
confidence-building experiences through a challenge based
curriculum, and strengthening families' community and social
supports.
- Evaluate the outcomes of focused family therapies;
- Evaluate the outcomes of a community-based intervention for
high-risk families.
This project is investigating how Canadian child care centres
promote the mental health of children from infancy to 6 years.
Emphasizing classroom strategies, relationships with parents, staff
well-being and collaboration with community resources, the aim is to
collect and convey existing practices that foster critical areas of
social-emotional development identified by research. Findings will
be detailed within a resource booklet available to child care
providers. Existing research will also be considered within the
context of current child care issues to inform various early
childhood professionals and policymakers. This project is being done
in collaboration with the Canadian Mental Health Association.
This study is documenting the post-adoptive health and physical,
motor, cognitive, language, and social-emotional development of
infants adopted from China and family adjustment. Children and
families are initially seen within one month of the child's arrival
to Canada, 6, 12, and 24 months later when the children are
approximately 3 years of age. Chinese adoptees will be compared with
Canadian born children. Findings from this research are important for adopting families, adoption professionals, practitioners and policy makers. This study is being done in collaboration with two adoption agencies, Children's Bridge and Open Arms to Adoption.
The research is following 120 children who participated in a
national demonstration project (TLC3) at an important transition
point in development, the end of their kindergarten year when they
were on the brink of entering Grade 1. TLC3 involved seven sites
across Canada delivering a range of interventions aimed at enhancing
the language and cognitive development of children 0 to 5 years
within the context of important early relationships. Most of these
children live in families at risk because of factors associated with
low socioeconomic status. Readiness for school is measured in
relation to a comparison sample and to provincial and national
Canadian samples. This project is part of the Canadian Language and
Literacy Research Network.
For more information contact: Dr. Nancy Cohen, e-mail
nancy.cohen@utoronto.ca or by telephone at (416) 972-1935 Extension
3312.
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