Robert Bradley | Arizona State University (original) (raw)

Papers by Robert Bradley

Child Development, 2012

This study examined home environment conditions (housing quality, material resources, formal and ... more This study examined home environment conditions (housing quality, material resources, formal and informal learning materials) and their relations with the Human Development Index (HDI) in 28 developing countries. Home environment conditions in these countries varied widely. The quality of housing and availability of material resources at home were consistently tied to HDI; the availability of formal and informal learning materials little less so. Gross domestic product (GDP) tended to show a stronger independent relation with housing quality and material resources than life expectancy and education. Formal learning resources were independently related to the GDP and education indices, and informal learning resources were not independently related to any constituent indices of the overall HDI. Promoting and protecting the well-being of young children is considered the sine qua non of responsible parenting. To assure well-being for children, parents must: (a) provide for their safety, (b) provide sustenance and other health promoting supports, (c) foster socioemotional competence, (d) provide stimulation and supports for learning, (e) monitor their activities, (f) supervise their behavior, (g) provide routines, guidance, and directions that give structure to daily life and ongoing activities, and (h) provide social connections to key persons and institutions that facilitate the child's adaptive functioning and long-term productivity (Bradley, 2006). Being the guardian of children's welfare can be a formidable task in conditions of extreme poverty and environmental degradation. Poor housing quality and limited access to material resources can directly undermine the health and adaptive functioning of children and limit what parents can do to protect children and promote their development (

Thi study examined relationships between the caregiving environment, severity of disability, and ... more Thi study examined relationships between the caregiving environment, severity of disability, and several aspects of family ecology for 102 adolescents with disabilities. Family ecology variables included poverty status, parental intelligence, social support, and marital quality. The disability categories were mental retardation; orthopedic impairment; sensory impairment; and impairments of speech, language, or learning. The level of stimulation and structure in the home environment was related to parental intelligence, marital quality, and the severity of sensory impairment. Adolescents from homes where parents had higher IQs and reported better marital quality received more stimulation and structure. Less stimulation and structure were received by adolescents with more severe sensory impairments and mental retardation. An interaction was also observed between social support and poverty status, with social support acting as a buffer against poverty and adequate family finances acting as a buffer against lack of social support. Adolescents with disabilities who came from families low in both social support and economic resources received less stimulation and support than expected. The only significant effect observed for the nurturance/support aspects of the caregiving environment was race, with African-American adolescents receiving higher scores on acceptance and responsivity ccmpared to Caucasians. (Contains 34 references.) (SW)

The Infant Health and Development Program (IHDP) is an intervention designed to facilitate social... more The Infant Health and Development Program (IHDP) is an intervention designed to facilitate social development in low birthweight (LBW) children. This report does not deal with the full complexity of operations involving program components as they interact to shape social competence. Rather, the report cepresents a first or "setting" stage, a look at the ecology of social development in LBW children independent of intervention. The study's purpose was threefold: (1) to look at simple relationships between various aspects of home environment and components of social competence; (2) to study primacy and recency effects with respect *_o social competence at the age of 3 years; and (3) to identify interactions among home environment components that relate to social competence. Participants in the study were 549 children who had participated in the IHDP. The measures used were the HOME Inventory, Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist, Richman-Graham Behavior Checklist, Adaptive Social Behavior Inventory, and measures of mother-child interactions. As expected, the home environments of children with low birth weight were related to the social competence of the children. Significant relations were obtained from parental ratings of children's social problems and adaptive behavior and from direct observations of children's social behavior in problem-solving situations. Results suggest that intervention may h,...ve an effect when a child has a reasonably responsive environment in the first year of life. Five tables show che statistical correlations. Contains 7 references.

As part of a.iarger, ongoing study_ uduCted through. the Center for Child Development and Educati... more As part of a.iarger, ongoing study_ uduCted through. the Center for Child Development and Education n-ak the Oniveisity of Arkansas at Little Rock, this paper explores. the influence of the-bole environment on children's psychological frtnctionipg.in_echool and on their academic achievement. Data were obtained n home 1\ experienae, classroom*soCial-competence-andtachieveaen seastrepents for 96 elementary school children in grades one throug. six.'Nehsures of-icadesic achievement were obtained from the standard zed. Science Research Associates test series for reading, languagca 4 mathesatiCs. The 23 itea.Classrooa'Social Competence Scale (cscsy, reflecting the ites.content of the Kohn and Rosman (1972) .Sociti Competence Scale was designed-for this study to assess the children-'s classrooi-social.Competence,-along the behavioral dimensions of 1-withdrawal (non-parti4pation and aggression) , di:mufti:on, and task :..crientction. The Home Observation for Measurement of the Envitonme#t MOB!), designed by Caldwell and Bradley' fin press),..was used tomeasure the glility of stimulation, and the social,-emotional and cognitive support available for the child's develophent. Multivariate :sulticie procedutes were used to test the existence of associations between the three variables.-Results revealed significant relatioiships.icrosathe three sets of variables. Patterns of these relatiOnships suggest that early experience prepares the child to-meet not only-intellectual.performance requirements but also social. performance requirements. (Author/EP)

The Journal of Pediatrics, Nov 1, 2008

Objectives-To examine reciprocal relations between body mass index (BMI), internalizing problems ... more Objectives-To examine reciprocal relations between body mass index (BMI), internalizing problems and externalizing problems from infancy through middle childhood with a focus on sex and history of overweight. Study design-Data from 1254 children in the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development were used to conduct longitudinal analyses of relations between BMI and scores on the Child Behavior Checklist from age two through 6 th grade. Results-BMI and behavior problems showed stability across the 7 measurement occasions. No consistent relation between BMI and behavior problems was evident prior to school entry; but being heavier was associated with later internalizing problems beginning in 1 st grade for boys and girls. Higher BMI was not associated with increased conduct problems. Conclusions-As children move into middle childhood, higher BMI is associated with increased likelihood of developing internalizing problems. Health care providers should monitor BMI as children enter school and to provide guidance to parents regarding emerging symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Monographs of The Society for Research in Child Development, Mar 1, 2016

In 2013, the United Nations estimated that 1.1 billion people lived in countries characterized as... more In 2013, the United Nations estimated that 1.1 billion people lived in countries characterized as very high on the Human Development Index (HDI; a measure of the social and economic status of a country), and another 1.0 billion lived in countries characterized as high HDI (United Nations Development Programme, 2013). This situation contrasts with over 3.5 billion in countries listed as medium HDI and 1.3 billion in countries listed as low HDI. As it happens, the vast majority of research on gender and child development has taken place in countries in the top tier (i.e., High Income Countries; HIC), whereas almost none has taken place in the bottom tier (i.e., Low to Middle Income Countries; LMIC). There are, of course, notable exceptions, such as the Six Cultures Study (Whiting, 1963) and Young Lives Study (Harpham, Huttly, De Silva, & Abramsky, 2005); however, the vast majority of what is known about how gender is implicated in children's experiences is derived from studies conducted in HIC (that is, the "minority world"). In HIC, parents tend to create gendercontrasting home environments for girls and boys, a process that may begin even prior to birth. Girls generally have more dolls and fictional characters, and boys more sports equipment, tools, and vehicles (Pomerleau, Bolduc, Malcuit, & Cossette, 1990). In the United States, for example, parents possess different ideas about their girls' and boys' emotions

Child Abuse & Neglect, Oct 1, 2020

Background: Monitoring violence against women and children, and understanding risk factors and co... more Background: Monitoring violence against women and children, and understanding risk factors and consequences of such violence, are key parts of the action plan for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015. Objective: We examined how men's and women's views about the acceptability of husband-towife violence are related within households and how views about the acceptability of husband-towife violence are related to beliefs in the necessity of using corporal punishment to rear children and to reported use of corporal punishment with children. Participants and Setting: We used nationally representative samples of men and women in 37,641 households in 21 low-and middle-income countries that participated in UNICEF's Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey. Methods: We conducted a series of logistic regression models, controlling for clustering within country, with outcomes of whether participants believe corporal punishment is necessary in Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.

Child Development, Sep 1, 2012

Little is known about how key aspects of parental migration or child-rearing history affect socia... more Little is known about how key aspects of parental migration or child-rearing history affect social development across children from immigrant families. Relying on data on approximately 6,400 children from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort, analyses assessed the role of mothers' age at migration on children's social development in the United States (sociability and problem behaviors). Consistent with models of divergent adaptation and assimilation, the relationship between age at arrival and children's social development is not linear. Parenting practices, observed when children were approximately 24 months of age, partially mediated the relation between mothers' age at arrival and children's social development reported at approximate age 48 months, particularly in the case of mothers who arrived as adults. Children of immigrants in the United States are the fastest growing segment of the child population and now account for nearly one quarter of all children under age 8 (Fortuny, Hernandez & Chaudry, 2010; Hernandez, 2004). Research on immigrant families has increased dramatically in recent years. But the challenge of understanding the diverse conditions of immigration and how they may influence children's outcomes remains. Immigrant families originate from all parts of the globe and come to the United States with a wide array of experiences, resources, parenting beliefs and languages. These variations in what immigrant families bring to America help shape the home environments of their young children. Thus, understanding how immigration may play a role in children's outcomes requires considering not only the origins of the parents but their immigration histories as well. Much of the recent research on children in immigrant families has focused on school aged children, their academic performance and behavioral health (Crosnoe, 2007; Georgiades,

The relationship between physical environment and child development was examined in five groups o... more The relationship between physical environment and child development was examined in five groups of moderately to severely handicapped children (hearing impaired, vision impaired, orthopedically impaired, speech impaired, mentally retarded). The 282 participating children comprised 89 infants (ages 0-3), 108 preschoolers (ages 3-6), and 85 elementary school children (ages 6-10). Each child's family was visited twice (18 months apart) at home and assessed using sociodemographic indices, the HOME Inventory, a parental coping scale, a social support inventory, the Family Inventory of Life Events, the Scales of Iniependent Behavior, and either the Bayley Scales of Infant Development or the Stanford-Binet Intelligence test. Results indicated that there was a high degree of specificity between the type of handicap and age and the development of handicapped children. Availability of materials was only slightly related to behavioral development in infants but more significant in overall development of preschool _nd elementary school age children. Significant correlations were most frequent for orthopedically and speech impaired children's motor and social development, while no significant correlations appeared for the mentally retarded in any developmental area. Findings also indicated that general surroundings in which a child lives were essentially unrelated to behavioral development for handicapped children ages 0-10. (VW)

Objective-To investigate ecological correlates of the development of overweight in a multisite st... more Objective-To investigate ecological correlates of the development of overweight in a multisite study sample of children followed from age 2 to age 12. Design-Longitudinal examination of covariates of overweight status throughout childhood, with covariates drawn from three ecological levels: sociocultural or demographic, quality of the child's home environment, and proximal child experience that could directly affect the balance between energy intake and energy expenditure. Subjects-960 children participating in a long-term longitudinal study provided growth data at least once; 653 of the children had complete data on covariates. Measurements-Height and weight measured 7 times between ages 2 and 12 were converted to a Body Mass Index (BMI) and entered into a Latent Transition Analysis to identify patterns of overweight across childhood. Ecological correlates measured longitudinally included demographic characteristics obtained by maternal report, home environment quality obtained by observation and maternal report, and proximal child experience factors obtained by observation, maternal report, and child report. Results-Four patterns of overweight were found: never overweight, overweight beginning at preschool age, overweight beginning in elementary school, and return to normal weight after being overweight at preschool age. The weight status groups differed on home environment quality and proximal child experience factors but not on demographics. Children overweight at preschool had less sensitive mothers than never overweight children. Children overweight at school age had fewer opportunities for productive activity at home than did never overweight children. School-age overweight children also watched the most TV after school. Multivariate logistic regression analyses further indicated the significance to children's weight status of proximal child experience variables. Less physically active children and those who watched more television after school were more likely to become overweight. Results did not vary by child sex.

Pediatrics, 2006

OBJECTIVE. The goal was to determine the relationship between the 4 parenting styles (authoritati... more OBJECTIVE. The goal was to determine the relationship between the 4 parenting styles (authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, and neglectful) and overweight status in first grade. METHODS. Data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development were analyzed. Children with complete data for parenting parameters at 54 months and measured weight and height in first grade were included in the analysis. Overweight was defined as BMI of ≥95th percentile. The 4 parenting styles were constructed with 2 scales, namely, maternal sensitivity and maternal expectations for child self-control. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between parenting style and overweight in first grade, controlling for gender, race, maternal education, income/needs ratio, marital status, and child behavior problems. RESULTS. A total of 872 children, 11.1% overweight and 82.8% white, were included in the analy...

Journal of Perinatology, 2011

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the evolution of obesity status (OS) in a... more Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the evolution of obesity status (OS) in a longitudinal cohort of low birth weight preterm (LBWPT) infants to an age of 8 years, and to determine whether rapid weight gain in the first year of life independently predicts 8-year OS. Study Design: In total, 985 infants (birth weight p2500 g, gestation age p37 weeks) were recruited from the nursery in an eight-site intervention research program and were evaluated at an age of 3, 5, 6.5 and 8 years. Weight and height were measured by standard protocol at each visit and body mass index was calculated. Obesity status is X95% for age and sex. Multiple logistic analyses were performed on 8-year OS with predictor variables including infant race, gender, small for gestational age status, birth weight category, neonatal health index, treatment group and first-year weight gain; maternal education and weight status before conception; and HOME Inventory. Result: Overall, 2.3% were OS at an age of 3 years, 6.1% at an age of 5 years, 7.7% at age 6.5 years and 8.7% at an age 8 years. OS varied by birth weight category at each visit. The infants born p1500 g had the lowest prevalence of OS at each age. In the logistic regression, maternal race (Hispanic) (adjusted odds ratio ¼ 2.8, confidence interval ¼ 1.2 to 6.8), maternal obese status (adjusted odds ratio 3.4, confidence interval ¼ 1.5 to 7.8) and first-year weight gain (adjusted odds ratio ¼ 2.7, confidence interval ¼ 1.9 to 3.9), significantly predicted 8-year OS. Conclusion: OS is common in LBWPT infants during childhood, and prevalence varies by birth weight category. High weight gain in the first year of life is an important predictor of the development of OS in LBWPT children.

The Journal of Pediatrics, 2008

Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 2008

Objective This study examined the impact of family conflict on internalizing and externalizing be... more Objective This study examined the impact of family conflict on internalizing and externalizing behavior at age 8 for children born low birth weight (LBW) and preterm (PT), with specific attention to the moderating role of early temperament. Methods The sample included 728 families enrolled in the longitudinal study of the Infant Health and Development Program. The study relied on maternal reports of child temperament at age 1, family conflict at age 6½ years and 8 years, and child behavior at age 8 years. Results Children exposed to high levels of family conflict had more internalizing problems. Child temperament assessed in infancy moderated the impact of family conflict on externalizing but not internalizing problem behavior. Discussion LBW/PT children with a difficult temperament are more at risk for poor developmental outcomes, such as externalizing behavior problems, when exposed to family conflict than children with a less difficult temperament.

Family Science, 2011

This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or s... more This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae, and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand, or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material.

Developmental Psychology, 2006

The relations between early infant-mother attachment and children's social competence and behavio... more The relations between early infant-mother attachment and children's social competence and behavior problems during the preschool and early school-age period were examined in more than 1,000 children under conditions of decreasing, stable, and increasing maternal parenting quality. Infants' Strange Situation attachment classifications predicted mothers' reports of children's social competence and teachers' reports of externalizing and internalizing behaviors from preschool age through 1st grade. These relations appeared to be mediated by parenting quality; main effects of attachment classification disappeared when effects of parenting quality were controlled. Interactions were also observed. For example, when parenting quality improved over time, teachers rated children with insecure infant-mother attachments lower on externalizing behaviors; when parenting quality decreased, teachers rated insecure children higher on externalizing behaviors. In contrast, children classified as securely attached in infancy did not appear to be affected by declining or improving parenting quality.

Child Development, 2001

Data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care ... more Data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care were examined to determine how children's experiences in child care were related to peer competence at 24 and 36 months of age, after controlling for the effects of family and child characteristics. Peer competence was assessed using mother and caregiver ratings as well as observations of children with their peers in child care, and at 36 months from observations of dyadic play with a familiar peer. Consistent, albeit modest, relations were found between child‐care experiences in the first 3 years of life and children's peer competencies. Positive, responsive caregiver behavior was the feature of child care most consistently associated with positive, skilled peer interaction in child care. Children with more experience in child‐care settings with other children present were observed to be more positive and skilled in their peer play in child care, although their caregivers rated ...

Pediatrics, 2007

... 2000;24:1683-8. Pubmed 9. Spiegel K, Leproult R, L Hermite-Baleriaux M, Copinschi G, Penev PD... more ... 2000;24:1683-8. Pubmed 9. Spiegel K, Leproult R, L Hermite-Baleriaux M, Copinschi G, Penev PD, Van Cauter E. Leptin levels are dependent on ... Lumeng, Julie C a ; Somashekar, Deepak b ; Appugliese, Danielle c ; Kaciroti, Niko b ; Corwyn, Robert F d ; Bradley, Robert H e. ...

Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 2006

To test the independent effect of television exposure in preschool-aged children on overweight ri... more To test the independent effect of television exposure in preschool-aged children on overweight risk. Design: Cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development. Setting: Ten US sites. Participants: One thousand sixteen children selected via conditional random sampling. Main Exposure: Being awake in the room with the television on for 2 hours or more per day, by maternal report at age 36 months. Main Outcome Measures: Child overweight (body mass index [calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters] Ն95th percentile) calculated from measured anthropometrics at ages 36 and 54 months. Covariates tested included child sex and race; maternal marital status, education, age, and depressive symptoms; income-needs ratio, child behavior problems; Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment total score; hours per week in nonparental care; and proportion of television exposure that was educational. Results: At age 36 months, 5.8% of children were overweight; at age 54 months, 10.0% were overweight. Exposure to 2 or more hours of television per day was associated with an increased risk of overweight at both age 36 months (odds ratio, 2.92; 95% confidence interval, 1.36-6.24) and age 54 months (odds ratio, 1.71; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-2.83) in unadjusted analyses. Only maternal age altered the concurrent relationship, and the effect of television remained significant (odds ratio, 2.61; 95% confidence interval, 1.21-5.62). Television exposure at age 36 months was no longer a significant predictor of overweight at age 54 months when controlling for covariates. Conclusion: Excessive television exposure is a risk factor for overweight in preschoolers independent of a number of potential confounders associated with the quality of the home environment.