Social Relationships and their Impact on Early Brain

Development

Bonny J. Forrest, J.D., Ph.D.

Chief Operating Officer, Jewish Family Service

Overview Basics of Brain

Development

Infant-Preschool Mental Health Framework

Genetics and Environment

Self-Regulation and Cognitive Skill

Development of Relationships

Early Brain Development

Major Areas of the Brain

Neurons: the Connectors

More than We Need: Experience Dependent Pruning

Infant Child

Early Brain Architecture

Infant mental health is:

The healthy social and emotional development of a child from birth to 3 years; and a growing field of research and practice devoted to the:

Promotion of healthy social and emotional development; 

Prevention of mental health problems; and Treatment of the mental health problems of very

young children in the context of their families.

Zero To Three; Selma Fraiberg

Infant Mental Health

Parent-Child Interaction with Infant or Toddler

Parent who supports optimal development:

Is sensitive to child’s cues

Responds to child’s distress

Takes advantage of simple, everyday activities to stimulate learning

The child can influence interaction through:

Clarity of his or her cues

Responsiveness to parent

Activity level

Ecosystemic/Continuum Model of Prevention, Assessment, Diagnosis,

and Intervention

Genetics and Development

Stress and environmental factors during pregnancy affect genetic expression

Genetic expression plays an important role in determining attachment patterns: genetic predisposition

Genetics interact with the environment to shape behaviors

Early Experiences Shape Brain Development: Interaction and

Regulation Infant’s ability to regulate

biological and behavioral rhythms and emotions, using environmental cues

Parents support the child’s developing regulation system through caregiving actions

Early parent-child interactions lay basis of self-regulation skills that become internalized by the child:

Directing attention Identifying goals Monitoring Child’s actions Correcting Child’s actions Modeling strategies

Cognitive Skill

Through relationships, exploration of the environment, and play infants gradually begin to feel effective and competent

Important cognitive processes contribute: causality, object permanence, imitation

Development of Self-Regulation enhances Cognitive Skill

Tools of the Mind-Preschool Curriculum

Basic Infant Emotions

Need a response from caregiver to learn to ultimately verbalize

Task is for caregiver to help them learn to express

Social Milestones: Building Blocks of Attachment

Newborn: scans parent’s face; increasing eye contact

6 weeks: begins to smile and coo responsively

4 months: learns about others/ begins to be aware of strangers

7 months: stranger anxiety

9 months: separation anxiety; turns to caregiver for comfort when distressed

Bond that develops between a child and important caregivers

Develops through repeated interactions between child and caregiver

Strong influence on many areas of development

Influenced by temperament, neurobiology, and environment

Example: Depressed Caregiver Response to Infant and

Impacts

Caregiver:

Express less positive and more negative affectsLess attentive and more disengagedWhen engaged are more intrusive and controllingFail to respond adaptively to infant emotional signals

Child:

Shorter attention spansLess motivation to master new tasksElevated heart ratesElevated cortisolReduce EEG activity right frontal cortex

Example: Lack of Social Experience and Impact on

Brain Development

Example: Experience Shapes Connectivity

Nature and Nurture

Socio-emotional competence develops within and because of relationships

Socio-emotional development affects all other areas of development

Socio-emotional development has long lasting impact

Early brain development provides the template for these phenomena