RESEARCHINREVIEW
Reinforcement Effects on Child Behavior”( 1963). During this time period, Dr. Hartup contributed a research review about peers and social reinforcement( Hartup 1965), and he also edited the first two volumes of The Young Child: Reviews of Research, which contained research-focused articles from the journal( Hartup & Smothergill 1967; Hartup 1972). In these ways, the journal continued to meet the need to bridge research to practice.
Research in Review
The next major milestone to meet this need occurred in 1977. Research in Review premiered as a regular column in the March issue of that year.“ Mother-Child Interactions and Competence in Infants and Toddlers” was written by Shirley Moore, a professor at the Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, who served as a regular contributor. She highlights three studies of infants and mothers to convey key information about home environments and infant development. Dr. Moore underscores the role of staff stability in fostering positive relationships with young children. She also elevates the importance of being aware of“ the complex array of caregiving behaviors that appear to be so important to optimal early development. We should not be satisfied with less for the children in our care”( 69).
The editors— for example, Martha Bronson, Susan Kontos, Mary Benson McMullen, Aisha Ray, and Sharon Ryan— and authors of Research in Review changed over time. Collectively, they created over 120 contributions under this column, synthesizing research spanning developmental domains, age groups, types of settings, and aspects of the early childhood ecosystem. While not exhaustive, here is a small sampling over nearly four decades:
›“ Prosocial Development in Children,” by Alice Sterling Honig( 1982)
›“ Effective Teachers of Young Children,” by Stephanie Feeney and Robyn Chun( 1985)
›“ Computers and Young Children: A Review of Research,” by Douglas H. Clements( 1987)
›“ Symbol Makers, Symbol Weavers: How Children Link Play, Pictures, and Print,” by Anne Haas Dyson( 1990)
›“ Multicultural Curriculum: African American Children’ s Literature,” by Violet J. Harris( 1991)
›“ Integrating Young Children with Disabilities in Preschool: Problems and Promise,” by Karen E. Diamond, Linda L. Hestenes, and Caryn E. O’ Connor( 1994)
›“ What Have We Learned About Developmentally Appropriate Practice?” by Loraine Dunn and Susan Kontos( 1997)
›“ Achieving Best Practices in Infant and Toddler Care and Education,” by Mary Benson McMullen( 1999)
›“ What Children Know about Mental Experiences,” by John H. Flavell and Beverley M. Hartman( 2004)
›“ Teaching Young Children from Immigrant and Diverse Families,” by Mariana Souto-Manning( 2013)
›“ Addressing Race and Inequity in the Classroom,” by Fabienne Doucet and Jennifer Keys Adair( 2013)
The last entry is“ Understanding Change and Implementation: How Leaders Can Support Inclusion,” written by Sarika S. Gupta and Beth S. Rous. It appeared in the May 2016 issue of Young Children. The column had an incredible run, some of which is captured in compilation books mentioned earlier as well as Informing Our Practice: Useful Research on Young Children’ s Development that was published by NAEYC in 2009.
Translating research to practice is critical to advancing the profession and supporting high-quality early childhood education.
102 Young Children
Spring 2026