Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 9, 2026

A Within-subjects Experimental Protocol to Assess the Effects of Social Input on Infant EEG
08:20

A Within-subjects Experimental Protocol to Assess the Effects of Social Input on Infant EEG

Published on: May 3, 2017

The social determinants of early child development: an overview

Stefania Maggi1, Lori J Irwin, Arjumand Siddiqi

  • 1Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada. stefania_maggi@carleton.ca

Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health
|August 28, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Social determinants significantly impact child development and long-term health. Understanding these factors is crucial for promoting optimal child health trajectories across diverse populations.

Area of Science:

  • Child development research
  • Pediatric health
  • Social determinants of health

Background:

  • Early life experiences profoundly shape lifelong health trajectories.
  • Child development is influenced by a complex interplay of biological, genetic, and environmental factors.
  • Optimal child health requires addressing critical social determinants.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide an overview of current knowledge on social determinants of child development.
  • To explore the influence of social determinants on child health trajectories.
  • To identify conditions fostering optimal child health and development.

Main Methods:

  • Overview of existing research from medical and social sciences.
  • Synthesis of studies examining child health and developmental outcomes.
  • Literature review focused on factors influencing early life development.

Main Results:

  • The early years are critical for establishing health vulnerability trajectories.
  • Child health is shaped by the intricate interaction of biological, genetic, and environmental factors.
  • Social determinants play a pivotal role in influencing these developmental pathways.

Conclusions:

  • Fundamental principles for optimal child development are universal.
  • These principles transcend linguistic and cultural differences.
  • Recognizing universal developmental principles is key to global child health equity.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Use of a Video Scoring Anchor for Rapid Serial Assessment of Social Communication in Toddlers09:16

Use of a Video Scoring Anchor for Rapid Serial Assessment of Social Communication in Toddlers

Published on: March 14, 2018

Related Concept Videos

Socioemotional Development during Infancy01:30

Socioemotional Development during Infancy

Socio-emotional development in infancy is primarily shaped by early emotional responses and social connections, with temperament playing a central role. Temperament refers to the consistent patterns in an individual's emotional and behavioral responses, observable even in infancy. By examining temperament, researchers can better understand an infant's unique ways of interacting with the world, influencing subsequent personality and socio-emotional growth.
Primary Temperament Types
Stella Chess...
Relationship with Parents: Attachment01:28

Relationship with Parents: Attachment

Parent-child interactions lay the foundation for how we understand relationships throughout life. These interactions are not uniform across families; instead, they are shaped by a range of environmental, emotional, and behavioral factors unique to each caregiver-child dynamic. Social psychologists study these early relationships to understand how patterns formed in infancy influence social functioning and interpersonal behavior in adulthood.Attachment Theory and Early Relational ModelsJohn...
Introduction to Developmental Psychology01:27

Introduction to Developmental Psychology

Developmental psychology explores the changes and continuities in human abilities throughout life, encompassing physical, cognitive, linguistic, and social dimensions. Human development is not restricted to growth, but includes aspects of decline, particularly in physical abilities as individuals age. Developmental psychologists seek to understand how people change as they age and how their mental and social skills evolve.Developmental MilestonesA key concept in developmental psychology is...
Erikson's Theory on Socioemotional Development during Childhood01:28

Erikson's Theory on Socioemotional Development during Childhood

Erik Erikson, a stage theorist, adapted Freud's theory to emphasize social factors in personality development throughout life, a concept known as psychosocial development. Unlike Freud, who focused on early childhood, Erikson believed that personality evolves across eight life stages, each marked by a specific challenge or "crisis." Successful resolution of each stage fosters competence, while failure may lead to feelings of inadequacy.
The first four of Erikson's eight psychosocial stages...
Three Developmental Domains01:29

Three Developmental Domains

Human development is typically examined across three main domains: physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional. These domains represent the significant areas of change and continuity throughout the lifespan, from infancy to late adulthood.
Physical Development
Physical processes, also known as maturation, encompass the biological changes that occur across an individual's life. These changes begin with genetic inheritance and continue through various stages, including growth in height and weight,...
The Nativist Approach01:21

The Nativist Approach

The nativist approach to infant cognitive development proposes that infants are born with inherent knowledge structures that allow them to interpret the world almost immediately. This perspective contrasts with earlier developmental theories, such as those proposed by Jean Piaget, which emphasized a more gradual acquisition of cognitive abilities through interaction with the environment. One key concept in this approach is object permanence — the understanding that objects continue to exist...