The purpose of our research is to understand developmental trajectories of adaptation and maladaptation through an integrative biopsychosocial approach.

We examine how bioregulatory systems, adverse family experiences, and socio-economic risk are related to mental and physical health as well as cognitive and academic performance in childhood through early adulthood. We focus on sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system activity and sleep-wake parameters as mechanisms of risk, vulnerability/protective factors, and outcomes. Long-term participation of families has facilitated our discovery of risk and protective factors for problematic outcomes over the course of development. Our samples have a high representation of African Americans and wide range of socioeconomic levels.