Grant: Doctoral Research Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Infant and early childhood neurodevelopment unfolds within contexts of risk and protection. Cumulative risks exacerbate neurodevelopmental vulnerabilities; however, the accumulation of protective factors can ameliorate such effects and promote positive neurodevelopment. Brain development from 0-6 years is foundational for lifelong neurodevelopment. There is a substantial gap in knowledge around early neurodevelopmental profiles and trajectories. The field is hampered by limited assessment measures available for use with children under age 6 years, with minimal consideration of contexts of risk and protection. My proposed research will address this gap in knowledge by 1) establishing a method of assessing the neurodevelopment of vulnerable infants and young children which encompasses contexts of cumulative risk and protection to 2) identify comprehensive neurodevelopmental profiles. In Study 1, I will conduct a systematic literature review of neurodevelopmental assessment measures available for infants and young children. Measures will be organized by age and neurodevelopmental capacity to establish comprehensive assessment batteries. In Study 2, I will conduct neurodevelopmental assessments using the batteries established in Study 1. Contexts of risk and protection will be captured using the cumulative risk and protection measures developed in my Master's research. Such assessments will enable comprehensive neurodevelopmental profiles to be identified across age ranges (0-2, 3-4, 5-6 years) and compared across clinical and control samples with differential social-emotional and neurological vulnerability (N=54). This research will catalyze the field as advancements in early assessment methods are essential to evaluate and understand comprehensive neurodevelopmental profiles. Findings will have policy implications around advocacy and the cost benefits of targeted early interventions to maximize the neurodevelopmental trajectory of vulnerable young children.