Understanding how babies learn to share attention with others
Official title: Neural and Caregiver Contributions to the Development of Joint Attention
Funded at Lehigh University · NIH-10654153 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how babies learn to share their focus with others, which is really important for making friends and learning to talk, and it aims to understand how parents can help with this by watching how babies' brains work during their first year.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R15 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Lehigh University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bethlehem, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2023 |
| Project end | April 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $497,426 |
| NIH project number | 1R15HD111963-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10654153 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for participation are infants aged 0-11 months who are in the early stages of developing social and language skills.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are older than 11 months or those with significant developmental delays may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how infants develop the ability to share attention with others, a skill known as joint attention, which is crucial for social and language development. The study will explore the brain mechanisms involved in this process and how caregivers can influence this development through their interactions. By using advanced techniques like electroencephalography (EEG), researchers aim to identify the neural pathways that support joint attention in infants during their first year of life. The findings could provide insights into the variability observed in joint attention skills among infants.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could enhance our understanding of infant development and inform strategies for improving social and language skills in young children.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in understanding joint attention and its impact on child development, indicating that this approach is building on established findings.
Where this research is happening
-
Lehigh University
Bethlehem, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Brandone, Amanda — Lehigh University
- Study coordinator: Brandone, Amanda
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.