Theory and Research
Faculty members in the CAD area conduct innovative and interdisciplinary research linking theory and methodology. The research currently being conducted draws from attachment theory, ecological systems theory, cognitive development theory, sociocultural theory, and family systems theory. Research topics include (1) various spheres of human development and functioning such as social emotional development, cognitive development, parent-child relationships, and abnormal development, (2) the influences of ecological contexts (e.g., parents, peers, school, and neighborhood) on developmental processes (3) intertwined relationships between genes and ecological contexts, and (4) risk for and resilience to child and adolescent development. Direct observations of young children, dyadic interviews with parents and children, and secondary longitudinal data analyses are some examples of methodology applied to the research studies in the program.