What is the Early Growth and Development Study?
The Early Growth and Development Study (EGDS) is a sample of children and their parents from three cohorts of biological and adoptive families. The study began in 2002 and initially enrolled 561 adopted children and their adoptive and birth parents. In 2013, the study began enrolling additional children in adoptive and birth family homes. We now have over 1,400 adolescents and young adults participating!
Our study builds on emerging evidence about the relationship between genetics, the stuff you are born with, and your environment, the stuff around you, and how they work together and separately in child development. Your commitment to our research has played a pivotal role in advancing the understanding of how a range of early environmental exposures, including societal, neighborhood, family and school environments, and children’s genes, impact child health and development.
Our Research Focuses
Family
We’ve always been interested in how families influence development! We look at things like parenting, sibling relationships, home environment, and many other family factors that affect how kids grow up.
Genetics
One of the main focuses of our study has been how the genetics that you are born with influence how you develop over time. We are interested in how your genes affect you throughout your life.
Environment
Our goal is to understand environmental influences on children, adolescent’s, and young adults’ health, and ways to enhance it. In addition to the home, the environment includes things you are exposed to at school, work, and in your neighborhood.