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Developmental science sheds light on what has and has not changed over time.

July 07, 2023

In “Long-Term Impacts of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Child Development,” Rachel Foster, Ph.D. first explores how developmental scientists predict children might be impacted by the pandemic based on theories of human development and how children have responded to previous societal setbacks; and then sheds light on the empirical research collected and published since the onset of the pandemic.

"Developmental theory suggests that we think about the pandemic as a turning point or period of added unpredictability in the lives of children," says Dr. Foster. "Turning points and early unpredictability do not necessarily equate to bad outcomes; rather, they are just another part of an infinitely complex equation."

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