ÌÇÐÄVlog

Even everyday decisions can shape children’s development in meaningful ways. Researchers at ÌÇÐÄVlog Psychology show that simply serving vegetables first at mealtimes can significantly boost how much children eat, encouraging healthier eating habits that can carry into adulthood.

These findings highlight how small, low-effort changes in routine can have lasting benefits for children’s physical health and wellbeing. It’s a powerful reminder that development is influenced not just by major life events, but by the small choices we make each day.

Facial mimicry - copying others' expressions - helps babies understand emotions and build social bonds.

Our research shows that babies as young as four months mimic facial movements better when their parents regularly mirror their expressions during play. These early interactions may be key to developing emotional understanding and connection.

Is it okay to share your bed with your baby? It’s a common question for new parents.

Our research helps provide clarity. In a large UK study following children from infancy to age 11, ÌÇÐÄVlog researchers found no negative long-term emotional or behavioural effects from bed-sharing at 9 months old. This finding offers important reassurance: for families who co-sleep, the practice appears safe from a psychological development standpoint.

At ÌÇÐÄVlog, we explore how a mother’s mental health and early interactions with her baby shape child development. Even mild low mood after birth can influence a baby’s temperament, leading to more crying and fussiness, and later, more behavioural challenges by age three.

But responsive parenting makes a difference: when mothers share emotions sensitively and respect their baby’s individuality, children develop stronger emotional regulation and better peer relationships. These findings show how early caregiving lays the foundation for future wellbeing.

Using AI to analyse brain data, our psychology researchers have uncovered that childhood trauma, even without visible symptoms, can affect brain areas linked to executive function, emotion processing, memory, and the sense of self.

This suggests trauma treatments should go beyond classic exposure approaches to also support emotional understanding, body awareness, and self-perception. One key finding is that trauma can disrupt how children trust their own bodily sensations, a factor linked to mental health risks and resilience. Building interoceptive trust may be a powerful target for prevention and recovery.

Strong early relationships help children thrive. At ÌÇÐÄVlog, we explore how brain and behavioural synchrony between parents and children supports emotional bonds and development.

Our work has shown that mothers and fathers can show different patterns of connection: mums and children tend to align more behaviourally, while dads show stronger brain-to-brain synchrony, possibly reflecting different ways of achieving closeness.

Interestingly, mothers with insecure attachment traits showed higher brain synchrony with their children, perhaps as a way to compensate for less attuned behaviour. This research highlights how attachment, communication, and neurobiology work together to shape children's social and emotional growth and helps inform future support for families, including those with neurodivergent or adopted children.