WELCOME

The Social Development Lab is directed by Dr. Heather Henderson in the Child Division of the Department of Psychology at the University of Miami. We conduct research studies with higher functioning children with autism as well as with typically-developing children. We use multiple assessment methods in each our studies including physiological assessments (EEG/ERP), parent- and self-report measures, and direct observations of children's interactions with adults and peers. The overarching goals of our studies are:

• (1) To relate differences in children's behavior, emotion, and social cognition to measures of central nervous system functioning using EEG/ERP methodologies
• (2) To study brain-behavior relations as they develop and change throughout childhood and adolescence
• (3) To examine the influence of early temperament on patterns of continuity and change in children's social, emotional, and academic development

The findings from our studies contribute to basic knowledge of the processes underlying typical and atypical development and are being used to better tailor prevention and intervention efforts to the specific needs of children.