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University of Essex homepage Research Projects How children get in sync
Research project

How children get ‘in sync’ with their caregivers and how optimal synchrony benefits child development, health and wellbeing

A silhouette of a young child holding their hands up to the sun and sky.

Research overview

This project aims to investigate child-caregiver bio-behavioural synchrony using fNIRS hyperscanning.

High quality child-caregiver interactions are crucial for child development, health and wellbeing. Children with available, responsive and sensitive caregivers show fewer behavioural problems, higher academic achievement and better mental and physical health and wellbeing.

It was recently suggested that better child-caregiver interaction quality is linked to higher child-caregiver bio-behavioural synchrony (BBS) – i.e., the tight coordination and reciprocity of behaviour, physiology and brain activity.

However, two central questions remain unanswered. First, when is high BBS most beneficial and when can it have detrimental effects on child development, health and wellbeing? Second, how does child-caregiver BBS differ in families with neurodiverse children and how could it be optimised through future interventions?

Impact

This collaboration with Dr Pascal Vritcka at the Department of Psychology at Essex and Dr Ben Marlow from ESNEFT will provide important insight into how health care for neurodiverse children can be improved via understanding of their early life interactions with caregivers.

These important early interactions have a tremendous impact on developmental outcomes and quality of life for both the child and the family, whilst also reducing the long-term impact on education and social care.

Related papers

Workshops

In March 2023 the University of Essex hosted a 2-day Conference Workshop on the topic "Interpersonal Synchrony and Its Relevance for Attachment & Caregiving" supported by Artinis Medical Systems. More information can be found here.

Researchers

Dr Ben Marlow
Dr Ben Marlow

Researcher

ESNEFT Synapse Centre for Neurodevelopment

Dr Ben Marlow is a Consultant Paediatrician at ESNEFT and Clinical Director of the ESNEFT Synapse Centre for Neurodevelopment. He also collaborates on projects with the “Essex Babylab”.
Dr Pascal Vrticka
Dr Pascal Vrticka

Researcher

Department of Psychology, University of Essex

Laura Mtewele
Laura Mtewele

Postgraduate research student

Department of Psychology, University of Essex

Essex ESNEFT Psychological Research Unit for Behaviour, Health and Wellbeing (EEPRU)
Development
Research degrees in the Department of Psychology
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