|
 The
research focus of the The University of Alabama’s child development laboratory
is to increase the scientific body of knowledge about children and their
families. Research is a critical component of the mission at the CDRC. All
research is carefully reviewed by The University of Alabama’s Institutional
Research Board and the CDRC Research Committee. Taking part in research is a
special opportunity for parents. Permission to participate in research is given
on the Parental Consent Form signed at the beginning of school each year.
Research data are handled in an ethical manner that protects the identity of
participants. Families will be notified prior to the beginning of each research
project with a summary of the specific research goals, assurance of IRB
notification, and an additional consent form.
Efforts are consistent and on-going to ensure that quality research occurs in
the Child Development Research Labs; to protect the rights of all parties who
may be directly and/or indirectly involved in research projects; and to balance
research time with daily activities in the children’s program.
Development and campus-wide research projects focusing on children and families
include: parental attitudes toward the guidance of children, olfactory
development in young children, the reactions of infants and toddlers to
the integration of a new infant into a group, social behavior interactions of
preschool children on the playground, parental influences on bullying among
children, father involvement, social-emotional processing in young children,
word learning in the absence of caregiver-child joint attention, and building a
community of reading excellence. The premier Child Development Research Center
is a hub for research, drawing investigators from various disciplines with
funded projects involving children and families throughout Alabama, the region,
and the nation. |
