Health and Wellbeing

Physical and behavioral health, as it relates to social-environmental factors and developmental considerations, is a key focus at IHDSC. Using a variety of methods, IHDSC affiliates examine health risks, behaviors, and protective factors that support the well-being of children, youth, and adults. Projects range from buffering the negative effects of toxic stress on child development, studying the connection between nutrition and obesity-related cancer, developing strategies to prevent falls in older adults, and understanding the complexities of mental health in diverse cultural contexts.

Health & Wellbeing Faculty

Laurie Miller Brotman

For a full list of our affiliates, please visit our Faculty Affiliate Network page.

Projects and Blog Posts

NYU Neuroscience and Education Lab

The Neuroscience and Education Lab (NEL) focuses on the development of self-regulation throughout the lifespan, from infancy to adulthood. Using a multi-method approach, NEL aims to build a comprehensive understanding of the ways in which early environmental adversity associated with social and economic inequality shapes cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and physiological aspects of development.

SMART Beginnings

The SMART Beginnings project tests a comprehensive approach to the promotion of school readiness in low-income families.

Q&A: Dr. Stephanie Cook

Dr. Stephanie Cook (NYU School of Global Public Health) spoke with On the Ground about her 2020 Seed Award project, “Optimizing a Daily Mindfulness Intervention to Reduce Stress from Discrimination among Sexual and Gender Minorities of Color.”

Q&A: Dr. William Tsai

Dr. William Tsai (NYU Steinhardt) is a two-time IHDSC Seed Award recipient. On the Ground interviewed him to spotlight his 2019 project, “Helping Oneself by Helping Others: Testing the Feasibility of a Narrative Intervention for Chinese American Cancer Survivors.”

Reexamining the Link Between Pregnancy Intentions and Maternal, Newborn & Early Life Outcomes

Dr. Sarah Cowan received an IHDSC Seed Award in 2019-2020 for a project that reexamines and extends previous research on the links between pregnancy intentions and early life outcomes by analyzing data from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) and 2-year follow-up data from six states.

Reaching the Rarely Reached: Dr. Njelesani

As part of the "Reaching the Rarely Reached" series, Mackenzie Whipps asked three NYU practitioner-researchers how and why they conduct research with populations that are often forgotten with in the healthcare system. As an occupational therapist, Dr. Janet Njelesani has spent years working with children with disabilities in low- and middle-income countries.

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The Institute of Human Development and Social Change