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Research Projects

The Determinants of Child Development Lab investigates how factors such as family, environment, and socioeconomic conditions influence children’s early social, emotional, and cognitive development. Through rigorous empirical studies, we work to advance theory, methods, and practice to promote healthy child development. This involves translating our findings for diverse audiences to ensure that our insights impact practice, policy, and ultimately children and families.

Below, we describe our key research projects under six intersecting topics.

Data Catalogues

Researchers are increasingly encouraged to share their data and use platforms that organize and host data in accessible and easy to use ways. The lab has created three large data catalogues to store information about empirical studies on different topics, supporting researchers to conduct further analysis:

  • Child Attachment Studies Catalogue and Data Exchange (CASCADE);
  • Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Catalogue;
  • Adult Attachment Interview Catalogue (AAI Catalogue).


Each of these data science tools is a repository of all empirical studies for that topic, expediting the process of conducting systematic reviews and meta-analyses. The catalogues include key study information such as demographics, clinical and risk factors, measurement tools, and other study variables. The catalogues support research communities to identify and collaborate to fill research gaps.

Data from the catalogues have been leveraged to conduct several important meta-analyses and prevalence studies. Published in high impact journals, the results of these studies inform policy or clinical decisions regarding caregiving interventions or trauma-informed interventions.

Zhu, J., Deneault, A. A., Turgeon, J., & Madigan, S. (2025). Caregiver and child adverse childhood experiences: A meta-analysis. Pediatrics, 155(2), e2024068578. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2024-068578

Deneault, A. A., Duschinsky, R., van IJzendoorn, M. H., Roisman, G. I., Ly, A., Fearon, R. M. P., & Madigan, S. (2023). Does child-mother attachment predict and mediate language and cognitive outcomes? A series of meta-analyses. Developmental Review, 70, 101093. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dr.2023.101093

Madigan, S., Deneault, A. A., Racine, N., Park, J., Thiemann, R., Zhu, J., Dimitropoulos, G., Williamson, T., Fearon, R. M. P., Cénat, J. M., McDonald, S., Devereux, C., & Neville, R. D. (2023). Adverse childhood experiences: A meta-analysis of prevalence and moderators among half a million adults in 206 studies. World Psychiatry, 22(3), 463-471. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.21122

Madigan, S., Fearon, R. M. P., van IJzendoorn, M. H., Duschinsky, R., Schuengel, C., Bakermans-Kranenburg, M. J., Ly, A., Cooke, J. E., Deneault, A. A., Oosterman, M., & Verhage, M. L. (2023). The first 20,000 strange situation procedures: A meta-analytic review. Psychological Bulletin, 149(1-2), 99-132. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000388

Children and Technology

Children are among the fastest-growing users of digital media, prompting increased research into how technology affects their development. Researchers are now paying closer attention to the potential impacts of technology across multiple domains, including cognitive functioning, physical health, and socioemotional and behavioural outcomes. Our lab has conducted ground-breaking research in this area. Key areas of investigation include:

  • Technoference in parent-child interactions
  • Developmental and behavioural outcomes
  • Rates of adherence to screen time guidelines
  • Parental perspectives on children’s digital media use
  • Screen time patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Sexting behaviour among youth


For this topic, we have:

  • Drawn data from the All Our Families cohort study to examine children’s screen time behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Initiated the Screen Use Among Children: Research, Evaluation, and Educational Network Supports (SCREENS) project examining parental perspectives to raise awareness about screen use guidelines.
  • Conducted systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

Madigan, S., Eirich, R., Pador, P., McArthur, B. A., & Neville, R. D. (2022). Assessment of changes in child and adolescent screen time during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatrics, 176(12), 1188-1198. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2022.4116

Eirich, R., McArthur, B. A., Anhorn, C., McGuinness, C., Christakis, D. A., & Madigan, S. (2022). Association of screen time with internalizing and externalizing behavior problems in children 12 years or younger: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Psychiatry, 79(5), 393-405. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2022.0155

McArthur, B. A., Volkova, V., Tomopoulos, S., & Madigan, S. (2022). Global prevalence of meeting screen time guidelines among children 5 years and younger: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatrics, 176(4), 373-383. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2021.6386

Madigan, S., Browne, D., Racine, N., Mori, C., & Tough, S. (2019). Association between screen time and children’s performance on a developmental screening test. JAMA Pediatrics, 173(3), 244-250. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.5056

Madigan, S., Ly, A., Rash, C. L., Van Ouytsel, J., & Temple, J. R. (2018). Prevalence tiple forms of sexting behavior among youth: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatrics, 172(4), 327-335. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2017.5314

Child and Adolescent Mental Health

Child and adolescent mental health plays a critical role in shaping children’s developmental outcomes. Research and practice in this area focus on understanding the complex and interconnected factors that influence children’s mental health, including parenting antecedents, parental mental health, environmental risks, peer relations, and other related psychosocial factors.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, empirical evidence has shown a significant increase in children’s mental health symptoms. Our lab has paid particular attention to how the pandemic context heightened risks for mental health challenges in children. Through our research on children’s mental health trajectories, before, during, and after the pandemic, we provide important insight into key risk and protective factors and highlight the urgent need for prevention and early intervention strategies to support children’s well-being.

Our work on this topic includes:

  • A study on the development and implementation of national guidelines for addressing youth mental health by incorporating psychoeducational materials into treatment plans.
  • An ongoing longitudinal project, the All Our Families cohort study, tracking parent and child mental health before, during, and after the pandemic.
  • Meta-analyses on the changes in child anxiety and depression symptoms during compared to pre-pandemic levels, as well as changes in healthcare utilization for mental health concerns, such as suicide attempts and eating disorders.

Park, J. L., McArthur, B. A., Plamondon, A., Hewitt, J. M., Racine, N., McDonald, S., Tough, S., & Madigan, S. (2024). The course of children’s mental health symptoms during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychological Medicine, 54(12), 3345-3356. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291724001491

Madigan, S., Korczak, D. J., Vaillancourt, T., Racine, N., Hopkins, W. G., Pador, P., Hewitt, J. M., AlMousawi, B., McDonald, S., & Neville, R. D. (2023). Comparison of paediatric emergency department visits for attempted suicide, self-harm, and suicidal ideation before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet Psychiatry, 10(5), 342-351. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(23)00036-6  

Racine, N., McArthur, B. A., Cooke, J. E., Eirich, R., Zhu, J., & Madigan, S. (2021). Global prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms in children and adolescents during COVID-19: A meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatrics, 175(11), 1142-1150. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2021.2482

Racine, N., Hetherington, E., McArthur, B. A., McDonald, S., Edwards, S., Tough, S., & Madigan, S. (2021). Maternal depressive and anxiety symptoms before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada: A longitudinal analysis. The Lancet Psychiatry, 8(5), 405-415. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(21)00074-2 

Caregiving and Attachment

Child-caregiver attachment research has evolved to become one of the most prolific areas of research in the field of child development and developmental science more broadly. A recent bibliometric analysis revealed that there is a rapid increase in the number of meta-analyses and a growing impact of research on child attachment on parenting interventions. Research on child attachment has grown in tandem with research on parenting practices including examinations of the role of sensitive parenting in the development of child-caregiver attachment relationships.

Our work on this topic includes:

  • Developing and validating the AMBIANCE-Brief in collaboration with community-based clinics, creating a practice tool for assessing disrupted parenting behaviors in clinical settings.
  • Providing global training opportunities to clinicians on the use of the AMBIANCE-Brief assessment tool, supporting its application across diverse clinical and research contexts (see Trainings).
  • Creating, maintaining, and sharing data science tools, including the CASCADE and AAI Catalogues that compile all empirical studies to support systematic reviews.
  • Leading the Caregiving and Attachment Research and Education (CARE) Collaboration, an international consortium of over 300 researchers and practitioners focused on child attachment and parenting.

Madigan, S., Deneault, A. A., Duschinsky, R., Bakermans-Kranenburg, M. J., Schuengel, C., van IJzendoorn, M. H., Ly, A., Fearon, R. M. P., Eirich, R., & Verhage, M. L. (2024). Maternal and paternal sensitivity: Key determinants of child attachment security examined through meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 150(7), 839-872. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000433

Cooke, J. E., Eirich, R., Racine, N., Lyons‐Ruth, K., & Madigan, S. (2020). Validation of the AMBIANCE‐brief: An observational screening instrument for disrupted caregiving. Infant Mental Health Journal, 41(3), 299-312. https://doi.org/10.1002/imhj.21851

Intergenerational Dynamics

Child development research aims to understand the complex interplay of factors that shape a child’s development and well-being, including individual child characteristics, parent-child interactions, and larger family dynamics. One key area of focus in the lab is the study of intergenerational processes—how experiences, behaviors, and risks are passed from parents to their children. By uncovering the mechanisms that underlie these dynamics, we aim to better identify the risk or protective factors involved in the transmission of adversity or resilience across generations.

Our work on this topic includes:

  • Studying the intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and attachment through meta-analytic and longitudinal cohort studies, with the goal of uncovering root causes of risks across generations.
  • Identifying modifiable individual and family-level factors that show the greatest promise for interrupting cycles of generational risk and supporting healthier outcomes for children and families.

Madigan, S., Plamondon, A., & Jenkins, J. M. (2025). The long reach of adversity: Intermediary pathways from maternal adverse childhood experiences to child socio‐emotional and cognitive outcomes. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.14118

Zhu, J., Deneault, A. A., Turgeon, J., & Madigan, S. (2025). Caregiver and child adverse childhood experiences: A meta-analysis. Pediatrics, 155(2), e2024068578. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2024-068578

Turgeon, J., Racine, N., McDonald, S., Tough, S., & Madigan, S. (2024). Maternal adverse childhood experiences, child resilience factors, and child mental health problems: A multi-wave study. Child Abuse & Neglect, 154, 106927. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.106927

Madigan, S., Cyr, C., Eirich, R., Fearon, R. M. P., Ly, A., Rash, C., Poole, J. C., & Alink, L. R. (2019). Testing the cycle of maltreatment hypothesis: Meta-analytic evidence of the intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment. Development and Psychopathology, 31(1), 23-51. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579418001700

Verhage, M. L., Schuengel, C., Madigan, S., Fearon, R. M. P., Oosterman, M., Cassibba, R., Bakermans-Kranenburg, M. J., & Van IJzendoorn, M. H. (2016). Narrowing the transmission gap: A synthesis of three decades of research on intergenerational transmission of attachment. Psychological Bulletin, 142(4), 337-366. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000038

Child Maltreatment and Adversity

Research on child maltreatment and other adverse childhood experiences is a central focus of the lab. We have conducted ground-breaking studies on the risks and outcomes of child maltreatment, as well as the global prevalence of adverse childhood experiences worldwide. Building on this work, we developed and launched COPE (Caregiver Online PsychoEducation), an evidence-informed, accessible intervention designed to support caregivers and children who have experienced trauma. COPE represents a key step in translating research into practical tools that address the real-world needs of families affected by adversity.

Our current research and community-engaged initiatives include:

  • Analyzing data from our ACEs Catalogue to explore how ACEs are linked to outcomes such as psychopathology and intimate partner violence.
  • Partnering with a local Child Advocacy Centre to examine the mental health service needs of children who have been maltreated, with the goal of identifying risk and protective factors associated with treatment dropout
  • Evaluating COPE through implementation trials, to assess its effectiveness and scalability in supporting caregivers of trauma-exposed children.

 

Racine, N., Hartwick, C., Ly, A., Jang, G., Thiemann, R., Obol, L., Switzer, J., Figueras, A., Dimitropoulos, G., & Madigan, S. (2025). Creating tools for addressing child trauma in Canada: Caregiver Online PsychoEducation (COPE). Child Protection and Practice, 5(9), 100171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100171

McDowell, H., Pavlova, M., Hartwick, C., Madigan, S., & Racine, N. (2025). Children exposed to sibling sexual abuse: Sociodemographic and trauma symptom differences. Child Abuse & Neglect, 162, 107149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.107149

Madigan, S., Thiemann, R., Deneault, A. A., Fearon, R. M. P., Racine, N., Park, J., Lunney, C. A., Dimitropoulos, G., Jenkins, S., Williamson, T., & Neville, R. D. (2024). Prevalence of adverse childhood experiences in child population samples: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatrics, 179(1), 19-33. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2024.4385

Racine, N., Dimitropoulos, G., Hartwick, C., Eirich, R., van Roessel, L., & Madigan, S. (2021). Characteristics and service needs of maltreated children referred for mental health services at a child advocacy centre in Canada. Journal of the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 30(2), 92-103.

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