UC Merced to host presentation on child development and family relationships

Researchers and professors will speak Saturday at UC Merced about family relationships and early childhood development for the fourth annual Symposium on the Child and Family.

This year’s theme is “Strong Families: Fostering Healthy Parent-Child Relationships and Child Development.” Information will be presented on social developments, establishing early foundation between parents and children, and how stress affects a family’s well-being.

This topic is important to the community because families having healthy relationships early on are “big contributors” to learning and emotional development, said Jeff Gilger, UC Merced psychology professor and lead organizer for the event.

Three UC Merced professors will be speaking: Eric Walle, Matthew Zawadzki and Alexandra Main. A senior research associate for WestEd, Emily Newton, also will present her research.

Gilger said anyone is welcome to attend the symposium from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Student Services Building, rooms 160 and 170. The research is designed to help and benefit parents, future parents and those in or interested in child development professions. There will be time set aside for speakers and attendees to talk and ask questions.

For more information, contact Gilger at jgilger@ucmerced.edu.

This story was originally published January 24, 2017 at 5:37 PM with the headline "UC Merced to host presentation on child development and family relationships."