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Social Relationships and their Impact on Early Brain
Development
Bonny J. Forrest, J.D., Ph.D.
Chief Operating Officer, Jewish Family Service
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Overview Basics of Brain
Development
Infant-Preschool Mental Health Framework
Genetics and Environment
Self-Regulation and Cognitive Skill
Development of Relationships
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Early Brain Development
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Major Areas of the Brain
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Neurons: the Connectors
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More than We Need: Experience Dependent Pruning
Infant Child
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Early Brain Architecture
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Infant mental health is:
The healthy social and emotional development of a child from birth to 3 years; and a growing field of research and practice devoted to the:
Promotion of healthy social and emotional development;
Prevention of mental health problems; and Treatment of the mental health problems of very
young children in the context of their families.
Zero To Three; Selma Fraiberg
Infant Mental Health
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Parent-Child Interaction with Infant or Toddler
Parent who supports optimal development:
Is sensitive to child’s cues
Responds to child’s distress
Takes advantage of simple, everyday activities to stimulate learning
The child can influence interaction through:
Clarity of his or her cues
Responsiveness to parent
Activity level
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Ecosystemic/Continuum Model of Prevention, Assessment, Diagnosis,
and Intervention
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Genetics and Development
Stress and environmental factors during pregnancy affect genetic expression
Genetic expression plays an important role in determining attachment patterns: genetic predisposition
Genetics interact with the environment to shape behaviors
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Early Experiences Shape Brain Development: Interaction and
Regulation Infant’s ability to regulate
biological and behavioral rhythms and emotions, using environmental cues
Parents support the child’s developing regulation system through caregiving actions
Early parent-child interactions lay basis of self-regulation skills that become internalized by the child:
Directing attention Identifying goals Monitoring Child’s actions Correcting Child’s actions Modeling strategies
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Cognitive Skill
Through relationships, exploration of the environment, and play infants gradually begin to feel effective and competent
Important cognitive processes contribute: causality, object permanence, imitation
Development of Self-Regulation enhances Cognitive Skill
Tools of the Mind-Preschool Curriculum
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Basic Infant Emotions
Need a response from caregiver to learn to ultimately verbalize
Task is for caregiver to help them learn to express
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Social Milestones: Building Blocks of Attachment
Newborn: scans parent’s face; increasing eye contact
6 weeks: begins to smile and coo responsively
4 months: learns about others/ begins to be aware of strangers
7 months: stranger anxiety
9 months: separation anxiety; turns to caregiver for comfort when distressed
Bond that develops between a child and important caregivers
Develops through repeated interactions between child and caregiver
Strong influence on many areas of development
Influenced by temperament, neurobiology, and environment
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Example: Depressed Caregiver Response to Infant and
Impacts
Caregiver:
Express less positive and more negative affectsLess attentive and more disengagedWhen engaged are more intrusive and controllingFail to respond adaptively to infant emotional signals
Child:
Shorter attention spansLess motivation to master new tasksElevated heart ratesElevated cortisolReduce EEG activity right frontal cortex
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Example: Lack of Social Experience and Impact on
Brain Development
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Example: Experience Shapes Connectivity
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Nature and Nurture
Socio-emotional competence develops within and because of relationships
Socio-emotional development affects all other areas of development
Socio-emotional development has long lasting impact
Early brain development provides the template for these phenomena