Understanding how babies learn to share attention with others

Neural and Caregiver Contributions to the Development of Joint Attention

NIH-funded research Lehigh University · NIH-10654153

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 typeR15 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionLehigh University NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Bethlehem, United States)
Project IDNIH-10654153 on NIH RePORTER

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.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for participation are infants aged 0-11 months who are in the early stages of developing social and language skills.

Not a fit: Patients who are older than 11 months or those with significant developmental delays may not benefit from this research.

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 performed: 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

Bethlehem, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.