A smiling woman with dark curly hair in a white shirt types, video conferencing with another woman on screen. A person wears a glowing blue EEG cap with electrodes, their eyes visible in the dark for brain activity study. A woman in a mustard yellow cardigan smiles while playing Jenga on a colorful polka dot rug with a boy on a green beanbag.

Research

We don't just study developmental theories; we apply them where children learn and grow. Through close collaborations with regional school corporations across Elkhart and St. Joseph counties, we partner with vital early childhood initiatives like the Head Start Program. By aligning our work with local school systems, we help ensure a seamless, supportive transition into school readiness for children up to five years old, focusing heavily on cognitive, social, and emotional development.

  • A smiling baby with dark hair holds an orange ball, looking at an adult in a yellow shirt holding blue and yellow balls.

    BEAM Study

    This is a study on emotions, mother and child interactions and mental health.

  • Three pregnant women smile while sitting in a group, gently touching their bellies and holding papers.

    NEST Study

    This research project is for pregnant people and their partners who are expecting their first baby.

  • Four young adults smiling and looking down together outdoors. Man in yellow shirt, woman in grey jacket.

    REACH

    This 1-year study of 200 high-risk adolescents evaluates the impact of a 30-day home intervention—combining transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS), a mobile app, and smartwatch monitoring—on adolescent mental health outcomes.

  • Bearded man in blue shirt giving a blonde child in a yellow shirt a piggyback ride, both smiling brightly.

    Strong Roots

    The Strong Roots Study examines how individual, family, and neighborhood factors build resilience in parents and children during stressful times, aiming to identify key processes that foster overall family well-being and help families thrive.

  • Five smiling women, diverse in ethnicity, stand with hands on their pregnant bellies.

    The Pregnant Moms' Empowerment Program

    This multi-site study evaluates a group therapy intervention for 230 pregnant women exposed to intimate partner violence. It tracks outcomes up to 1 year postpartum to assess maternal mental health, revictimization, parenting, and infant development.

  • Child with EEG cap and Fighting Irish shirt observed by masked child holding a stuffed monkey.

    TREAT Study

    The TREAT study uses EEG and behavioral tasks to examine how neurotypical and autistic children (ages 3–5) process social and nonsocial rewards. Currently analyzing data from 40 participants, the study is now recruiting neurotypical 3–5-year-old boys.

  • Three happy young people, a male in blue shirt embracing two females in white and coral shirts, on a tree-lined path.

    Vivimos Unidos Study

    This Midwestern study examines how sibling relationships influence psychological adjustment and risky behaviors in Mexican-origin adolescents, addressing a key gap in sibling research to clarify protective and risk factors in diverse cultural contexts.

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