DIVISION OF DEVELOPMENTAL STUDIES

 

Developmental Studies Team

Front Row: Sharon Cislo, Terri Webb, Kathy Ceppi, Loretta Staudt, Judy Howard, Bada Bertrand, Elise Andrews.
Back Row: Jennifer Cooper, Ellen Sugerman, Alicia Gonzalez, and Kit Kehr.

Division Highlights 

The Developmental Studies Program began to implement two research grants. We were one of six sites that were awarded a three-year Head Start\University Partnership grant. Competition for these grants was stiff in that the Administration for Children, Youth, and Families, U.S. Department of HHS received 137 research proposals. This research project is looking at Head Start families of Mexican-descent and their beliefs and practices regarding health and nutrition and the impact on children's health. The second grant received was from the Centers for Disease Control, Child Development Division. This is a six-year award that will include a pilot study of 60 families, followed by a research cohort of 240 families. The focus of this project is to support high-risk mothers by fostering their knowledge about child development and enhancing their interactions with their infants and toddlers. Fourteen investigators were invited by CDC to submit proposals for this longitudinal research project. Only two were awarded, one was to UCLA.

Faculty Profiles

ADAMS, FORREST
Faculty Member Since: 1952
Rank: Professor Emeritus

BECKWITH, LEILA
Faculty Member Since: 1981
Rank: Professor Emeritus

COHEN, SARALE
Faculty Member Since: 1981
Rank: Professor Emeritus

ESPINOSA, MICHAEL 
Faculty Member Since: 1994
Degrees: PhD, UCLA Graduate School of Education
BA, Harvard College
Rank: Assistant Researcher
Research Interests: Early intervention, child health and nutrition, parenting
Grant Support: Parenting Research Project, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Head Start-University Research Partnership Program, Department of Health and Humans Services, Administration for Youth and Families

HOWARD, JUDY
Faculty Member Since: 1974
Degrees: MD, Loma Linda University
BA, La Sierra College
Rank: Professor
Research Interests: Impact of the early environment upon child development in populations of high-risk infants (special needs, low income, prenatally drug exposed)
Grant Support: 1998-00 County of Los Angeles\Los Angeles Unified School District
1998-00 Olive View-UCLA Education and Research Institute, Perinatal Case Management
1998-00 State of California, High Risk Infant Follow-Up Project
1998-00 Institute for Black Parenting Aftercare Services for Family Preservation Graduates
1998-00 County of Los Angeles\Department of Children's Services Project STAR (Successful Transitioning with Aftercare Resources)
1998-05 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention UCLA Legacy for
Children Program
Teaching: Fellows _ Developmental Studies Program
Residents _ Developmental Studies Program
Professional Committees: 1982Present Member, Los Angeles Chapter, United Cerebral Palsy Association, Board of Directors
1983Present Member, Consortium of Institution of Higher Education (IHE) and the Division of Special Education, Los Angeles Unified School District
1993Present Advisory Member, AVEPANE (Asociacion Venezolana de Padres y Amigos de Ninos Excepcionales) Scientific Committee
1993-Present Member, National Advisory Committee for The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Initiative, Free to Grow: Head Start
Partnerships to Promote Substance-Free Communities, National
Center for Children In Poverty
1996-Present Member, Rowdy Ridge Gang Camp, Professional Advisory Board, Scott Newman Center
1996-Present Member, Center Point Women and Children's Research Advisory Board (RAB)
1996-Present Reviewer, Discretionary Funds Program, National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect, Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF)
1997-Present Member, Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) on Physical and Occupational Therapy, State of California Department of Health Services, Medi-Cal Benefits Branch\ Children's Medical Services (CMS) Branch
1997-Present TIPs Chair, Responding to Child Abuse and Neglect Issues in Substance Abuse Treatment (CAN), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT)

TYLER, RACHELLE 
Faculty Member Since: 1992
Degrees: MD, Boston University
MPH, UCLA School of Public Health
BA, Mills College
Rank: Assistant Clinical Professor
Research Interests: The biological and environmental basis of development
Grant Support: 1998-99 U.S. ACF/Administration on Children, Youth and Families Head Start\University Partnership: Translating Research Into Practice
1998-00 County of Los Angeles, Department of Children's Services
Project TEAMS (Training, Education, And Management Skills): Meeting the Needs of Children Prenatally Exposed to Drugs
1998-00 Institute for Black Parenting Field-Initiated Applications
Advancing the State of the Art in the Field of Adoption
Teaching: Fellows _ Developmental Studies Program
Residents _ Developmental Studies Program
Medical Students _ Doctoring I Course
University Service: 1996-Present UCLA Scan Policy
Professional Committees: 1997-Present Western Society for Pediatric Research
1998-99 Reviewer, Research Grant Applications for Head Start\University Partnership Research, Administration for
Children, Youth and Families
1999 Review of Research Article, Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine

Division Publications 

  1. Beckwith L, Howard J, Espinosa M, and Tyler R. Psychopathology, mother-child interaction, and infant development: Substance-abusing mothers and their offspring. Development and Psychopathology, 11, 715-725, 1999.

  2. Espinosa M, Beckwith L, Howard J, Tyler R, and Swanson K. Maternal psychopathology and attachment in toddlers of heavy cocaine-using mothers. Accepted for publication in Infant Mental Health Journal, special issue on alcohol and other drug effects on infants exposed during the pre- or post-natal period to parents who use or abuse such drugs, 1999.

  3. Espinosa M, Beckwith L, Howard J, Tyler R, and Swanson K. Maternal psychopathology and attachment in toddlers of heavy cocaine-using mothers. Infant Mental Health Journal. (In press) 1999.
  4. Howard J. Substance Abuse Treatment of Persons with Child Abuse and Neglect Issues. Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series 36. Consensus Panel Chair. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1999.

Division Presentations

  1. Espinosa E, Beckwith L, Howard J, Tyler R, and Swanson K. Attachment at 18 Months: Prenatal Psychological Symptoms in Cocaine-Using Women. College on Problems of Drug Dependence Sixty-First Annual Scientific Meeting, Seventieth Anniversary, Acapulco, Mexico, 6/12-6/17/99.
  2. Howard J.;Is There A Risk for Children Exposed to Substance Abusing Environments in Utero and After?" Workshop, Second National Conference on Women, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Los Angeles, CA, 6/30/99.
  3. Howard J. Individualized Developmental Care in the NICU. Neonatology Noon Conference, UCLA, Department of Pediatrics, Los Angeles, CA, 10/27/99.
  4. Tyler R, Beckwith L, Howard J, and Espinosa M. The Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale: Cognitive Development and Play in Prenatally Drug-Exposed Toddlers. The Western Society for Pediatric Research Meeting, Carmel, CA, 1/27-1/30/99.
  5. Tyler R. Attachment and Brain Development: Implications for Serving Children. Los Angeles County Office of Education, Head Start Preschool, Los Angeles, CA, 5/22/99.
  6. Tyler R. Cerebral Palsy. Physician Education Conference. Pacific Alliance Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 11/1/99.
  7. Tyler R. Child Development: Birth to 5 Years. Grand Rounds, Northridge Hospital, Northridge, CA, 3/19/99.
  8. Tyler R. Children and Disability and Abuse: What's the Connection? ICAN (Inter-agency on Child Abuse and Neglect) Nexus IV Conference, 9/4/99.
  9. Tyler R. Improving the Outcome of Drug-Exposed Neonates. Medical Education Conference. Encino, Tarzana Regional Medical Center, Tarzana, CA, 10/13/99.
  10. Tyler R. Prenatal Drug Exposure: Its Impact on Very Young Children. Because We Care: An Early Intervention Mental Health Services Conference, Los Angeles Child Guidance Clinic, Los Angeles, CA, 10/21/99.
  11. Tyler R. Child Development: Birth to 5 Years. Physician Education Conference, Queen of Angels Hospital, Covina, CA, 2/22/99.
  12. Tyler R. Preparing to Care for Infants and Children with Prenatal Drug Exposure. Keynote Address. National Conference for the Foster Family-Based Treatment Association, Minneapolis, MN, 7/12/99.
  13. Tyler R. UCLA 1999 Pediatric Board Review Course, Los Angeles, CA, 8/31/99.

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