Completed Projects

The preterm infants’ early development study

This longitudinal study followed the early development of infants born prematurely at low medical risk, including moderately preterm (gestational age 28-33 weeks) and near-term (gestational age 34-36 weeks) infants as well as a comparison group of healthy infants born at full-term. The study examined the process by which infant characteristics (e.g., temperament), parental characteristics (e.g., emotional distress) and the quality of the parent-child relationship (e.g., mother-child, father-child, and mother-father-child interactions) act together in predicting developmental outcomes at age 12 months, including cognitive and social development. Families of new born infants were recruited to the study shortly after birth, and 2 home visits were conducted at 6 and 12 months of infants’ age.

Parenting and Stress in Mothers and Fathers of Children with Developmental Delay

The aim of this study was to reveal the intricate connections in which family, parent and child risk factors predict parental behavior in families of children with developmental delay (DD) compared to families of typically developed (TD) children. Specific attention was given to the mediating role parental stress has on these associations. Therefore, a conceptual model was proposed and examined, describing the effects of risk factors on stress and parenting of children with DD compared to parenting of TD children. Within the specific stressors of the DD group a focused observation was directed at the parents' reaction to their child's diagnosis of DD. As this was the first study to examine parents' resolution with a child's diagnosis of DD, we initially aimed to determine differences between mothers’ and fathers’ resolution styles, and focused on links to various demographic variables. Our eventual goal was to investigate the links between parental resolution, stress and parenting in different family risk circumstances.

The adjustment of children from the Former Soviet Union (FSU) living in Israel

The gap between the large numbers of immigrants around the world and the very few studies on the adjustment of their children is striking. We conducted two studies (preschool adjustment study, and adjustment of school aged children) examining parenting and children's adjustment among native Israeli families and families from the former Soviet Union (FSU), all living in the South of Israel.

Preschool Adjustment Study

This study aimed to investigate, for the first time, the psychological adjustment of ethnic-minority (FSU) and ethnic-majority (Native Israeli) children living in Israel at an early age, during the pre-school years. Risk factors for problem behavior in these children were identified and differences in children's adjustment according to parental acculturation style within the FSU families were studied. 145 children aged 4 to 6 years and their parents and teachers participated in the study.

The adjustment of school-aged children from the FSU

This study aimed to examine the adjustment of young second-generation children from immigrant families (FSU) living in their country of settlement (Israel). In particular, we were interested to examine how children's and parents' perception of parental behaviours and their cultural normativeness moderate the links between parental practices and children's adjustment. Furthermore, as certain cultures emphasize and give more attention to distinct domains as significant to children's development (e.g., academic achievement), we proposed that these links may vary also in the specific domain in which the child's misbehavior occurs. 140 families from the FSU and native Israeli families participated in the study. Children's age ranged between 7-9 years old.