Developmental vulnerability - don't investigate without a model in mind

S. Woolfenden, K. Williams, V. Eapen, F. Mensah, A. Hayen, A. Siddiqi, L. Kemp

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleOtherpeer-review

11 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Children who are developmentally vulnerable are at risk of a difficult start to school, and ongoing educational challenges which may adversely impact on long term health outcomes. Clinicians, researchers and service providers need a thorough understanding of both risk and protective factors and their complex interplay to understand their impact on early childhood development, in order to plan effective and comprehensive prevention and interventions strategies. In this opinion piece we recommend that investigation of developmental vulnerability should only proceed if underpinned by both a theoretical model through which the interaction between risk and protective factors may be investigated, and analytical models that are appropriate to assess these impacts.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)337-345
Number of pages9
JournalChild: Care, Health and Development
Volume41
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 May 2015

Keywords

  • Analytical models
  • Developmental vulnerability
  • Early child development
  • Research methods
  • Theoretical models

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