Toddler Development Study (TDS)



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How do young children learn to exert self-directed control over their social behavior, and how may their quality of sleep influence this process? These are just a few of the questions we hope to answer through our empirical investigation of the emergence of toddler's flexible self control of behavior, or self-regulation.

We are conducting a study on how toddlers learn to exert self-directed control over their social behavior and how their quality of sleep may influence this process. Toddler participants are assessed at 2.5, 3, and 3.5 years old. Actigraphs, watch-like devices that detect movement, are used to monitor participants sleep patterns for about one week. Self-regulation and more general characteristics are assessed through both home observations and lab tasks.

We expect that parent-child dyadic processes, toddler's sleep, cognitive, and temperamental characteristics will shape self-regulation through additive, interactive, and reciprocal pathways. From this longitudinal study we hope to learn more about the complex interplay between child and socializing environment and its implications for maladjustment.

Please see our For Visitors page for contact information or to learn more!

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Conference Presentations


Bates, J. E. & Staples, A. D. (2009). Sleep, Temperament, and behavioral adjustment in toddlers. Paper to be presented at Society for Research in Child Development Biennial Conference, Denver, CO.

Chein, R. W., Staples, A. D. & Bates, J. E. (2009). Mother-child interaction relates to mother and child sleep patterns. Poster to be presented at Society for Research in Child Development Biennial Conference, Denver, CO.

Cipra, A., Staples, A. D. & Bates, J. E. (2009). How bedtime routines affect child sleep patterns. Poster to be presented at Society for Research in Child Development Biennial Conference, Denver, CO.

Passaloukos, M., Staples, A. D. & Bates, J. E. (2009). Regular sleep protects against internalizing problems in toddlers temperamentally at risk. Poster to be presented at Society for Research in Child Development Biennial Conference, Denver, CO.

Staples, A. D. & Bates, J. E. (2009). The role of parenting in the continuity of sleep patterns in toddlerhood. Paper to be presented at Society for Research in Child Development Biennial Conference, Denver, CO.

Holloway, E., Staples, A. D., Kuwabara, M., & Bates, J. E. (2008). The 2D:4D digit ratio index marker for prenatal testosterone. Poster presented at the Conference on Human Development Biennial Conference, Indianapolis, IN.

Staples, A. D. & Bates, J. E. (2008). Continuity of infant behavior under stress: Examining the relation between the still-face paradigm and strange situation. Paper presented at the Conference on Human Development Biennial Conference, Indianapolis, IN.

Bates, J. E. & Staples, A. D. (2007). Toddler and mother sleep qualities and parenting daily hassles. Paper presented at Society for Research in Child Development Biennial Conference, Boston, MA.

Staples, A. D., Bates, J. E., & Goodnight, J. A. (2007). Toddler sleep disruption and the trajectory of self-regulation development. Poster presented at Society for Research in Child Development Biennial Conference, Boston, MA.

Staples, A. D., Bates, J. E., & Kuwabara, M. (2007). Linking temperament and increased sleep disruption during toddlerhood. Poster presented at Society for Research in Child Development Biennial Conference, Boston, MA.

Kuwabara, M., Staples, A. D., Bates, J. E., & Goodnight, J. A. (2006). Toddler aggression: An interactive function of sleep and daytime activity. Poster presented at Midwestern Psychological Association Conference, Chicago, IL.

Staples, A. D., Hyde, A., Bates, J. E., Goodnight, J. A., & Novosad, C. (2006). Temperament and the relation between sleep disruption and toddler negative emotion. Poster presented at Midwestern Psychological Association Conference, Chicago, IL.

Staples, A. D., Bates, J. E., Goodnight, J. A., & Novosad, C. (2005). Toddler negative emotion as an interactive function of sleep disruption and temperament.. Poster presented at Society for Research in Child Development Biennial Conference, Atlanta, GA.

Last updated August, 2009 | Design modified from original by Andreas Viklund.