Based on Research Conducted at OSLC

An examination of the ways parents deal with the normal ups and downs of childhood.

Project Overview

The goal of this longitudinal study, begun in 1983, was to examine the ways that parents deal with the normal ups and downs of childhood. One hundred and seventy families were recruited when their boys and girls were 15 to 18 months old. An additional 200 families were recruited at age 5. Most of these families stayed with the project for 18 years, through changes in family structure, changes in jobs, and geographic moves. More importantly, their children grew from infants to toddlers, from toddlers to preschoolers, across the transition into school, into adolescence and into young adulthood. The study examined three aspects of parenting: emotional warmth, guided participation, and family management. Our understanding of the role of parenting in the early years has helped shape OSLC prevention projects.

Funder: National Institute of Mental Health

Principal Investigator:

Co-Investigator: