The preferential looking paradigm was used to investigate how toddlers integrate recently learned grammatical cues with well-established social cues in a novel word-learning scenario. To test this we examined children’s ability to decipher the referent of a novel noun using the grammatical information from a plural cue and social information from an eye-gaze cue. Experiment 1 is the first study showing that children as young as 24 months of age can rely on plural markings alone to infer the referent of a novel noun. Preliminary results of Experiment 2 suggest that when the plural cue is presented alongside contradicting information from a gaze direction cue, children still map the novel word to the grammatically cued object. Taken together, these results suggest that by the time children reach their second birthday, even newly learned grammatical information, such as plural markings, might already outweigh established social cues.

The transition to school marks an important developmental step for children and families. Coping and competence during such a transition begin long before the child enters the classroom and effects last for many years. Although children are born with the capacity to learn, it is the quality of relationships, particularly the relationship with the primary caregiver that shapes early learning experiences. This study examined the links between the attachment relationship between mother and child on the developing teacher-child relationship, the effects of the adult-child relationships on child outcomes and on children’s perspectives of their kindergarten experience. Contextual factors were considered in relation to adult-child relationships and child outcomes. Despite a robust literature on mother-child relationships and teacher-child relationships, no empirical studies have examined these relationships with parallel instruments and few studies include the children’s voices. For this study, participants included mothers and their kindergarten children (N= 74) and kindergarten teachers (N=7) from five schools that differed in linguistic and socio-economic profiles. Mothers and teachers completed a Q-Sort measure of child attachment security and dependency, and children participated in three early literacy tasks and a child interview. The lack of significant association between mother-child attachment quality and dependency and direct child literacy outcomes was a surprising finding. Nevertheless, child interviews revealed that children who were less secure and more dependent with their mothers expressed difficulties with the academic aspects of school. The quality of teacher-child relationships was positively related to children’s early literacy outcomes. These findings were interpreted in light of contextual factors as suggested by Bronfenbrenner’s social-ecological theory. Adult reports of children’s attachment security and dependency were related to children’s participation in childcare or in a preschool program for more than 10 hours a week and to attendance in a private school that offered a full day preschool and kindergarten program. The implications of these findings point to the important role of high quality early childhood experiences that support attachment relationships with caregivers as children make the transition to school.

The transition to school marks an important developmental step for children and families. Coping and competence during such a transition begin long before the child enters the classroom and effects last for many years. Although children are born with the capacity to learn, it is the quality of relationships, particularly the relationship with the primary caregiver that shapes early learning experiences. This study examined the links between the attachment relationship between mother and child on the developing teacher-child relationship, the effects of the adult-child relationships on child outcomes and on children’s perspectives of their kindergarten experience. Contextual factors were considered in relation to adult-child relationships and child outcomes. Despite a robust literature on mother-child relationships and teacher-child relationships, no empirical studies have examined these relationships with parallel instruments and few studies include the children’s voices. For this study, participants included mothers and their kindergarten children (N= 74) and kindergarten teachers (N=7) from five schools that differed in linguistic and socio-economic profiles. Mothers and teachers completed a Q-Sort measure of child attachment security and dependency, and children participated in three early literacy tasks and a child interview. The lack of significant association between mother-child attachment quality and dependency and direct child literacy outcomes was a surprising finding. Nevertheless, child interviews revealed that children who were less secure and more dependent with their mothers expressed difficulties with the academic aspects of school. The quality of teacher-child relationships was positively related to children’s early literacy outcomes. These findings were interpreted in light of contextual factors as suggested by Bronfenbrenner’s social-ecological theory. Adult reports of children’s attachment security and dependency were related to children’s participation in childcare or in a preschool program for more than 10 hours a week and to attendance in a private school that offered a full day preschool and kindergarten program. The implications of these findings point to the important role of high quality early childhood experiences that support attachment relationships with caregivers as children make the transition to school.

The purpose of this study was to explore the role of peers in women's lived experiences in their bodies from childhood to young adulthood. The present study used a qualitative life history methodology to delineate the range of peer processes, both adverse and protective, that affect women's connection to their bodies over time, as well as the meaning women make of these processes, and their internalized reactions to peer influences across a developmental trajectory. In-depth interviews were conducted among fourteen women between the ages of 25 and 35, representing diverse social and cultural backgrounds, as well as current and past eating and body image problems. Women participated in open-ended interviews, using a series of guided questions about their experiences with peers that affected their lived experiences in their bodies, from childhood through to adulthood. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed for themes using a grounded theory methodology. Two interrelated models emerged from the data that clarified ways in which relationships with peers shaped interviewed women's lived experiences in their bodies over time. The Peer Processes Related to Dominant and Alternative Norms, Ideals and Expectations Model addresses peer processes related to the promotion of dominant and alternative norms, ideals and expectations regarding appearance and ways of inhabiting the body as girls and women. The Implications of Peer Processes on Social Power and Acceptance model delineates the ways in which widely sanctioned norms, ideals and expectations pertaining to participants' bodies and appearances, are expressed and internalized through concerns for peer status, power, belonging and acceptance. The research has both clinical and research implications, shedding important light on the ways in which peers enhance, maintain and disrupt girls' and women's connection to their bodies over time.

Adolescence is marked with significant changes in how girls feel and act within their bodies, and is considered a special risk period for body image disruptions. Cross sectional quantitative research within this area suggests that parents represent an important contextual and developmental contributor to body image. The present study aimed to address gaps in previous research by investigating parental influences, including both protective and risk factors, on girls’ embodied experiences through utilizing a prospective qualitative design with a diverse sample of twelve girls, ages 9-18, interviewed annually over four years. Results revealed the presence of both protective and risk factors related to embodiment experiences within the parental relationships, including aspects of relational qualities, self-care, evaluative gaze and social location. Results are discussed in relation to Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory and to previous research. The implications for future research are also discussed.

L’exposition à la violence conjugale est une forme répandue de mauvais traitement psychologique envers l’enfant dont les conséquences néfastes sont maintenant bien connues. Les enfants ne sont pas tous affectés de la même manière par la violence conjugale et peuvent présenter différents profils d’adaptation. Des recherches de plus en plus nombreuses suggèrent l’importance de variables médiatrices qui permettent d’établir le lien entre l’exposition à la violence conjugale et l’adaptation de l’enfant. Toutefois, peu d’études permettent encore de préciser les relations entre ces variables, ni de connaître la pertinence de ces variables pour un profil d’adaptation particulier. Cette thèse, comprenant deux études empiriques, visait deux objectifs principaux. La première étude avait pour objectif d’examiner les liens entre le point de vue de l’enfant sur la violence conjugale et sur ses relations familiales, deux facteurs reconnus comme des médiateurs entre la violence conjugale et l’adaptation de l’enfant. Il était prévu que le point de vue de l’enfant sur la violence, pouvant se refléter par le blâme que l’enfant s’attribue pour la violence, sa perception de menace et sa peur d’être abandonné par ses parents, prédit son point de vue sur ses relations familiales, étudié sous l’angle de la parentification et des conflits de loyauté de l’enfant. Cette étude a été menée auprès de 79 enfants âgés de 8 à 12 ans et vivant avec leur mère dans un refuge pour femmes violentées. Les résultats révèlent que le blâme et la peur d’abandon prédisent la parentification et que la peur d’abandon prédit aussi les conflits de loyauté. L’objectif de la deuxième étude était de dégager des profils d’adaptation parmi les enfants exposés à la violence conjugale et d’identifier les facteurs qui leur sont associés. Ces facteurs renvoient à l’expérience de violence de l’enfant, à son point de vue sur la violence, à la qualité de la relation mère-enfant et à la parentification. Cette étude a été menée auprès de 116 enfants âgés entre 8 et 12 ans vivant en maison d’hébergement pour femmes victimes de violence conjugale ou fréquentant d’autres organismes offrant des services aux familles confrontées à la violence conjugale. Les résultats révèlent la présence de quatre profils d’adaptation : troubles extériorisés seulement, troubles intériorisés seulement, troubles à la fois extériorisés et intériorisés et absence de problème apparent. Ces quatre profils se distinguent selon la présence d’abus physique envers l’enfant, la qualité de la relation mère-enfant, le point de vue de l’enfant sur la violence et le degré de parentification de l’enfant. Les résultats sont discutés en fonction de l’apport respectif des parents et de l’enfant dans le développement de la parentification et des conflits de loyauté chez l’enfant exposé à la violence conjugale. La discussion souligne également la variabilité des manifestations de la détresse des enfants exposés à la violence conjugale. Les facteurs associés aux différents profils d’adaptation laissent entrevoir les besoins des enfants appartenant à un profil particulier et permettent de suggérer des liens entre ces facteurs. / Exposure to domestic violence is a common form of psychological maltreatment that has well-known serious negative effects on children. But children are not all affected in the same way by domestic violence and may present different patterns of adjustment. An increasing number of studies suggest mediating variables play an important role in the association between domestic violence and children’s adjustment. However, few studies have yet identified the relations between these variables or investigated the potential of these variables to discriminate patterns of adjusment of children exposed to domestic violence. The purpose of the present thesis was twofold. The aim of the first study was to investigate the relation between children’s appraisals of domestic violence and of family relationships, two factors known as mediators between domestic violence and children’s adjustment. It was expected that children’s appraisals of domestic violence, measured by children’s self-blame, perception of threat and fear of abandonment would predict their appraisals of their family relationships as defined by parentification and loyalty conflicts. This first study was carried out with 79 8- to 12-years-old chidren recruited in shelter for battered women. Results revealed that children’s self-blame and fear of abandonment predicted their parentification. In addition, fear of abandonment predicted loyalty conflicts. The objective of the second study was to identify specific patterns of adjustment among children exposed to domestic violence and to identify factors associated with these profiles. These factors include children’s experience of violence, children’s appraisal of domestic violence, quality of the mother-child relationship and parentification. This second study was carried out with 116 8- to 12-years-old children and their mother recruited in shelter for battered women and other agencies providing services to families living in the context of domestic violence. Results revealed four patterns of adjustment : 1) Externalized problems only, 2) Internalized problems only, 3) Both externalized and internalized problems, and 4) No apparent problems. These four patterns are distinguishable on the basis of the presence of physical abuse toward the child, the quality of the mother-child relationship, the child’s appraisal of domestic violence and their level of parentification. These results are discussed in terms of the child’s and parents’ respective contribution to the development of parentification and loyalty conflicts among children exposed to domestic violence. The discussion also highlights the variability in the manifestations of children’s distress when exposed to domestic violence. The factors associated with the different patterns of adjustment suggest the existence of specific needs among children who exhibit a specific pattern and may suggest associations between these factors.

L’influence du groupe d’amis prend de l’importance à l’adolescence. Cette influence est observable dans plusieurs domaines, dont au niveau de l’engagement scolaire. On remarque en effet une forte similarité du niveau d’engagement scolaire chez les membres d’un même groupe d’amis. L’importance de cette influence des pairs n’est néanmoins pas uniforme pour tous les adolescents: plusieurs facteurs de modération peuvent entrer en jeu, dont le niveau de popularité de l’adolescent et de ses amis. La présente étude vise à examiner l’effet modérateur du niveau de popularité des élèves et de leurs amis sur le lien prédictif entre l’engagement scolaire des amis et le développement de l’engagement scolaire des élèves. Des données ont été recueillies au cours de deux années scolaires consécutives auprès de 403 élèves de secondaire I et II. Les résultats démontrent que le niveau de popularité des amis permet de prédire la diminution à travers le temps du niveau d’engagement scolaire des élèves, et ce, après avoir contrôlé pour la plupart des facteurs associés. De plus, la popularité de l’élève modère l’influence présumée que les pairs peuvent avoir sur le développement de l’engagement scolaire: l’engagement des amis étant positivement associé l’engagement ultérieur des élèves uniquement lorsque ces deniers s’avèrent populaires au sein de leur groupe de pairs. / Peer influence gets more and more important during teenage years. This influence can be observed in many domains, including school engagement. Friends tend to be very similar regarding their school engagement levels. Peer influence may vary depending on many moderating factors, including the popularity levels of the adolescent and his/her friends. This study examined the moderating effect of adolescent’s and friends’ popularity levels on the predictive link between friends’ school engagement and adolescent’s own school engagement. Data were collected during two consecutive years with 403 7th and 8th graders. Results show that friends’ popularity in grade 7 predicted lower student’s school engagement in grade 8, even while controlling for many associated factors. Moreover, student’s popularity level moderated peer influence on school engagement: friends’ engagement level predicted student’s school engagement one year later, but only for popular adolescents.

In the current study, three possible interpretations of children’s number line estimation (NLE) performance were examined for appropriateness and possible correlates of performance were tracked over time in a classroom exemplifying recommended mathematics pedagogy for young children. In December and May, 21 4-year-olds completed the NLE task (0-10 range) and measures of numerical knowledge, spatial skills, and visual-motor integration. With high-quality teaching, children made large gains in these skills (d = 0.96-1.28). Due to uniformly high achievement, few expected correlations were observed, however. A strategy account of NLE performance was supported over the traditional logarithmic-to-linear shift account and the newly proposed proportion-judgement account. Patterns of error in estimation provide a better indication of understanding of the linear number line than models of best fit. Indeed, interpreting linearity of NLE as indicative of an underlying representation of number could lead to inappropriate conceptualizations of math learning disabilities and misguided interventions.

The purpose of this study was to explore the role of peers in women's lived experiences in their bodies from childhood to young adulthood. The present study used a qualitative life history methodology to delineate the range of peer processes, both adverse and protective, that affect women's connection to their bodies over time, as well as the meaning women make of these processes, and their internalized reactions to peer influences across a developmental trajectory. In-depth interviews were conducted among fourteen women between the ages of 25 and 35, representing diverse social and cultural backgrounds, as well as current and past eating and body image problems. Women participated in open-ended interviews, using a series of guided questions about their experiences with peers that affected their lived experiences in their bodies, from childhood through to adulthood. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed for themes using a grounded theory methodology. Two interrelated models emerged from the data that clarified ways in which relationships with peers shaped interviewed women's lived experiences in their bodies over time. The Peer Processes Related to Dominant and Alternative Norms, Ideals and Expectations Model addresses peer processes related to the promotion of dominant and alternative norms, ideals and expectations regarding appearance and ways of inhabiting the body as girls and women. The Implications of Peer Processes on Social Power and Acceptance model delineates the ways in which widely sanctioned norms, ideals and expectations pertaining to participants' bodies and appearances, are expressed and internalized through concerns for peer status, power, belonging and acceptance. The research has both clinical and research implications, shedding important light on the ways in which peers enhance, maintain and disrupt girls' and women's connection to their bodies over time.

Naked mole-rats are eusocial rodents that live in subterranean colonies with a strict reproductive and social hierarchy. Breeders are socially dominant and other colony members are non-reproductive subordinates. The effects of manipulating the serotonergic system on aggression are well studied in many species, but not in eusocial rodents like the naked mole-rat. For the current study, the effects of fluoxetine hydrochloride (FLX) on status-specific behaviours of subordinates (Experiment 1) and queens (Experiment 2) were evaluated both in-colony and in a social-pairing paradigm to investigate how the serotonergic system influences aggression in this species. In accordance with our main hypothesis, chronic treatment of FLX attenuated the frequency and duration of aggression in queens, but not subordinates, when paired with an unfamiliar conspecific. Further exploration of pharmacological manipulation on status-specific behaviours of this eusocial species may elucidate the neurobiological mechanisms underlying their unique and rigid social hierarchy.