2022 CYFS Summit on Research in Early Childhood
2022 CYFS Summit on Research in Early Childhood

Research Presentations

Session I   |   Session II   |   Session III   |   Session IV   |   Download Presentation Takeaways

Session I | 10:30 - 11:15 a.m.

Effective State-Level Policies to Strengthen the Early Years: Follow-up Discussion

Join Cynthia Osborne for an interactive conversation to further explore her work in the research and policy communities and discuss effective policies for young children.

Cynthia Osborne

Professor of Early Childhood Education,
Director, Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center
Peabody College of Education and Human Development
Vanderbilt University
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Children and Families Birth to Five in Lincoln and Omaha: Findings from the Nebraska Early Childhood Study

The design of scalable, valid instruments that measure children’s development down to birth has not kept pace with the demand for population-monitoring efforts by local communities and states interested in investigating and addressing disparities. To meet this demand, we developed two new caregiver-reported assessments and tested these assessments for criterion validity. We find that scores from these assessments exhibited expected associations with children’s adverse experiences, caregiver anxiety and depression, and socioeconomic predictors of development.

Abbie Raikes

Associate Professor
Department of Health Promotion
University of Nebraska Medical Center

Marcus Waldman

Postdoctoral Research Associate
Department of Health Promotion
University of Nebraska Medical Center

Katelyn Hepworth

Graduate Research Assistant
Department of Child, Youth and Family Studies
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
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Testing Technology-Delivered Behavioral Health Services: Addressing Rural Child Needs

Despite high rates of behavioral problems, rural children have less access to intervention than their nonrural peers. Teachers and Parents as Partners (TAPP) may ameliorate this disparity but is not always available in rural communities. This single-case design study aimed to determine the efficacy of distance-technology delivered TAPP (tele-TAPP) for improving child behavior and its acceptability in rural Appalachia. Tele-TAPP resulted in improved behavioral outcomes and participants rated tele-TAPP as highly acceptable.

Amanda Witte

Research Assistant Professor
Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth,
Families and Schools
University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Rachel Schumacher

Postdoctoral Fellow
Munroe-Meyer Institute
University of Nebraska Medical Center

Susan Sheridan

Associate Dean for Research and Creative Activity, Professor and Director
College of Education and Human Sciences,
Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth,
Families and Schools
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
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An Ecological Framework for Understanding Early Childhood Professional Well-Being

Significant research has examined early childhood professionals’ personal well-being and associations with turnover, burnout and interaction with children. The Early Childhood Workforce Well-Being Framework was designed to provide an ecological perspective on the individual and contextual factors associated with early childhood professional well-being. The framework can guide research on early childhood settings, as well as assist in designing interventions to enhance workforce well-being.

Kathleen Gallagher

Director of Research and Evaluation
Buffett Early Childhood Institute
University of Nebraska

Alexandra Daro

Research Specialist
Buffett Early Childhood Institute
University of Nebraska
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Reflective Practice as a Support for Early
Childhood Professionals

Reflective practice shows promise for mitigating the stress of relationship-focused work. We present evaluation findings from reflective practice training and consultation groups with early childhood professionals. Online surveys and focus group interviews reveal that trainees utilize reflective practice regularly, find it beneficial in daily interactions, and feel it increases teamwork and collaboration. Implications for early childhood professions will be discussed, including the potential of reflective practice for reducing turnover.

Pamela Caudill Jordan

Research Assistant Professor
Center on Children, Families and the Law
University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Carrie Gottschalk

Engagement Zone Coordinator
Seward County Extension

Jamie Bahm

Project Manager
Center on Children, Families and the Law
University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Sarah Barker Ladd

Graduate Research Assistant
Center on Children, Families and the Law
University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Kelli Hauptman

Project Director
Center on Children, Families and the Law
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
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Caregiver-Provided Learning Opportunities Boost Intervention Effects for Infants with Neuromotor Delays

This study evaluated whether caregiver-provided learning opportunities moderated the effect of the START-Play physical therapy intervention on the cognition of young children with neuromotor delays, and whether START-Play impacted caregiver-provided learning opportunities over time. Data were drawn from 112 infants with neuromotor delays (7-16 months), and their caregivers, who participated in a randomized clinical trial. Response to intervention depended on caregiver-provided learning opportunities. Providing targeted training to caregivers of differing abilities/needs may improve child outcomes.

Natalie Koziol

Research Assistant Professor
Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth,
Families and Schools
University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Christiana Butera

Postdoctoral Fellow
University of Southern California

Kari Kretch

Assistant Professor of Research
University of Southern California

Regina Harbourne

Associate Professor
Duquesne University

Stacey Dusing

Associate Professor
University of Southern California
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Improving Nebraska Early Intervention Home Visits: Three Linked Strategies

Nebraska rolled out professional development in three evidence-based strategies aiming to improve quality of early intervention services for infants/toddlers with disabilities or developmental delays and their families. This session discusses research conducted in regions piloting these efforts. Preliminary findings supported the effectiveness of Routines-Based Interviews during assessment for developing quality goals for the children/families, and the promising influence of the Getting Ready framework for strengthening routines-based home visits. Implications for statewide scale-up are shared.

Miriam Kuhn

Associate Professor
Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders
University of Nebraska at Omaha
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Help Me Grow: Systems Approach to Supporting Early Childhood Development

This presentation will provide initial implementation and evaluation data from a pilot of Help Me Grow-Nebraska, a comprehensive, population-level, evidence-based approach designed to address gaps in early childhood systems of support. Results highlight the utility and promise of HMG-Nebraska. Findings suggest the importance of early identification of children’s developmental and behavioral problems, importance of referrals, and careful collaboration and coordination among a variety of local organizations, agencies and health care providers for successful implementation.

Lorey Wheeler

Research Associate Professor
Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth,
Families and Schools
University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Kristen Derr

Program Manager
Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth,
Families and Schools
University of Nebraska–Lincoln

HyeonJin Yoon

Research Assistant Professor
Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth,
Families and Schools
University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Kerry Miller

Assistant Professor
Department of Education and Child Development
University of Nebraska Medical Center

Marisa Macy

Associate Professor
Department of Teacher Education
University of Nebraska at Kearney
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