About this session

Friday, 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM

Effects of Early Adversity Last Into Young Adulthood: Findings from the Bucharest Early Intervention Project

The Bucharest Early Intervention Project (BEIP) is the first and only randomized clinical trial of a foster care intervention for infants with a history of psychosocial deprivation. The design and the intent-to-treat approach to analyses provide strong experimental evidence for the causal role of a foster care intervention (vs. prolonged early deprivation) in shaping developmental outcomes. One hundred and thirty-six children, abandoned at birth or in the first months of life, and living in institutions in Bucharest were evaluated while still living in institutions and then randomized to either be placed into family care (foster care group) or to remain in the institution. Both groups have been followed across childhood and adolescence. Now they have reached early adulthood (age 21) and we examine how early experiences influence their adaptive behavior, executive functioning, brain functioning and brain structure. Four papers will be presented. In the first, data on adaptive functioning which was measured using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (Vineland), that evaluates communication, socialization, and daily living skills will be presented. The second paper presents data on executive functioning using the CANTAB measure while the third paper uses the Flanker speeded reaction time task with EEG to examine error monitoring and the error related negativity. The fourth paper examines brain structure acquired with MRI to ask what the effects of early adversity are on structural development. Together these papers provide an overview of the status of the BEIP cohort as they enter young adulthood.

Paper #1
Title	Adaptive Functioning at Age 18 Following Severe Early Deprivation
Presenting author	Kathryn Humphreys, Ph.D., Vanderbilt University, United States

Paper #2
Title	Effects of Early Institutional Care on Emerging Adults' Error Monitoring Skills
Presenting author	Dr. Emilio Alejandro Valadez, Ph.D., University of Maryland, United States

Paper #3
Title	Early Psychosocial Deprivation Impacts Cortical Brain Structure Development Into Adulthood
Presenting author	Kathryn Garrisi, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, United States

Paper #4
Title	Associations Between Early Institutional Rearing and Foster Care Intervention with Executive Function During Early Adulthood
Presenting author	Dr. Mark Wade, Ph.D., University of Toronto, Canada

View all paper details

Session chairs
Nathan A. Fox, Ph.D., University of Maryland, United States; Charles A. Nelson, III, Ph.D., , United States

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