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CSC Child Study Center

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Children sitting in a row reading books
Two young girls smiling with their arms around each other
Mother holding sad child
Diverse children smiling
Diverse babies sitting in a row
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The Child Study Center is dedicated to promoting children’s development and well-being through the dynamic integration of research, undergraduate and graduate training, and engaged community outreach.

We are housed in the Department of Psychology in the College of the Liberal Arts.

The Child Study Center is dedicated to promoting children’s development and well-being through the dynamic integration of research, undergraduate and graduate training, and engaged community outreach.

We are housed in the Department of Psychology in the College of the Liberal Arts.

Events

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Save the date!
November 11, 2026
Community Talk on Suicide Prevention
Holly C. Wilcox, Ph.D., M.A.
Professor, Johns Hopkins, Bloomberg School of Public Health
4:30 – 5:30 p.m., The Press: Cider & Craft Beverage Taphouse, State College, PA
Registration required! 

 

 

 

 

News

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Katie L. Burkhouse and colleagues recently investigated the impact of adversity and maternal depression on neural reward responsivity in young children
Congratulations to CSC faculty affiliate Emma Rose, associate teaching professor of psychology, who recently received the 2026 Faculty Service Award by the Penn State Neuroscience Institute
Research by Alp Aytuglu and others investigated how early parenting adjustment and coparenting may relate to children’s metabolic health
Congratulations to Danielle Symons Downs, professor of kinesiology, who was recently awarded the Pauline Schmitt Russell Distinguished Research Career Award from the College of Health and Human Development
Research led by Karen Bierman, Evan Pugh University Professor and former director of the Child Study Center, indicates participation during preschool in the Research Based, Developmentally Informed (REDI) program improved students’ lives almost two decades later

Student Spotlight

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Headshot of Sarah Karalunas

Sarah Karalunas

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One unique opportunity I had was the chance to collaborate with Dr. Joel Nigg, Professor at Oregon Health and Science University and the CSC’s 2009 Lois Bloom lecturer. During his visit to present the lecture, Dr. Nigg met with Dr. Huang-Pollock and her graduate students. I received more than advice and feedback related to my dissertation project; Dr. Nigg offered me one of his own datasets to use to supplement my dissertation research.