New research center focuses on early childhood

New role for computers: Dr. Tom Buggey of the Siskin Center for Child and Family Research works with Emily Thomson to overcome a food aversion. Dr. Buggey is a leading expert in video self-modeling, a technique used to promote positive behavior changes in children.

By Seth Seymour

Photo courtesy of Siskin Children’s Institute

First-time mother Rene Ward was overwhelmed with countless parenting tips that contradicted each other.
“I was trying to implement too many strategies at home, and it wasn’t working,” says the Nashville mother, trying to raise her typically developing child, Chloe.
Desperate for advice, the self-described over-eager mother turned to an early childhood development researcher at Vanderbilt University who she says helped her find a parenting strategy that worked.
“He created a plan for us based on his research,” Rene says, “and it’s made a wonderful difference in my daughter.”
Now that researcher—Robin McWilliam, PhD, whose concepts and tools are used worldwide—has moved to Chattanooga to lead the new Siskin Center for Child and Family Research at Siskin Children’s Institute.
Dr. McWilliam joins two other doctoral-level researchers who are working to find effective and innovative methods to improve the functioning of children and their families while assisting the professionals who serve them. The center focuses on children with and without disabilities from birth to age 6.
“Our applied research will help teachers and families—regardless of location—learn more effective ways to engage children,” says research scientist Amy M. Casey, PhD, one of the center’s three researchers. “When you consider the number of educators and families we can touch by sharing this information, the impact is exponential.”
The center’s discoveries will be disseminated to educators, higher education institutions, social agencies, advocacy groups and government agencies locally and worldwide.
The research center opened in September at the institute, which operates two early learning centers in Chattanooga where children with and without disabilities learn together in an inclusive setting. In addition to natural environments in various communities, researchers conduct studies within these preschool classrooms that offer a “living laboratory” to gain additional knowledge and understanding.
The research team is conducting several studies related to the engagement, independence and social relationships of children. Dr. McWilliam, for example, is currently studying ways to improve individualized family service plans, and Dr. Casey is studying preschool teachers’ perceptions of the feedback they receive.
The center’s third researcher, Tom Buggey, PhD, has conducted research at the institute for two years. He is a leading expert in video self-modeling (VSM), a technique used to promote positive behavior changes in children. Dr. Buggey currently conducts studies related to VSM and its effects on the ability of children with autism to improve language and social skills.
Chattanooga mother Jackie Benkert says she’s glad parents in other communities will benefit from the kind of research that has helped her 4-year-old daughter, Lillian, who has autism.
“I’ve talked with a lot of other moms in different parts of the country who have children with autism, and they just don’t have the same opportunities that are available here at the institute,” Jackie says, noting that Lillian has drastically improved her language and social skills by participating in research conducted at the institute.
“But now,” Jackie says, “other kids across the world will have the chance to experience what Lillian did, and I think that’s amazing.”

Seth Seymour is a public relations specialist at Siskin Children’s Institute.