For 40 years, my research has focused on several topics:  parent-child relationships and family risk factors that may predict the emergence of behavior problems (ADHD and aggression) in young children; the association between chronic maternal depression and children’s emotional adjustment and cognitive development from infancy through early adolescence; and the effects of early child care on children's social and cognitive development, the latter as a collaborator on the landmark 10-site NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development.  My final study employed a developmental psychopathology framework to examine early social-emotional development in infants and toddlers at high genetic risk to develop an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) because they have an older sibling with autism.  We examined the emergence of empathy, pretend play, and social engagement, selected because these areas of functioning are well-studied in typical development and may go awry in children developing ASD.

Representative Publications

Northrup, J. B., Leezenbaum, N. B., & Campbell, S.B. (2021).  Observed social behavior at 22- months predicts a later ASD diagnosis in high-risk siblings. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 51, 3187-3198.

Campbell, S.B., Mahoney, A.S., Northrup, J., Moore, E. L., Leezenbaum, N. B., & Brownell, C.B. (2018).  Developmental changes in pretend play from 22- to 34-months in younger siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 46, 639-654. 

Campbell, S.B., Moore, E.L., Northrup, J., & Brownell, C.B. (2017).  Developmental changes in empathic concern and self-understanding in toddlers at genetic risk for autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 47, 2690-2702.

Campbell, S. B. (2017).  The State of Young Children in the United States: A Developmental Psychopathology Perspective on the Mental Health of Preschool Children.  Chapter to appear in Elizabeth Votruba-Drzal & Eric Dearing (Editors).Handbook of Early Childhood Development Programs, Practices, and Policies.  New York: Wiley.

Campbell, S. B., Spieker, S., Vandergrift, N., Belsky, J., Burchinal, M., and the NICHD Early Child Care Research Network (2010).  Trajectories of physical aggression in boys and girls and outcomes in early adolescence.  Development and Psychopathology, 22, 133-150.

Campbell, S. B., Morgan-Lopez, A., Cox, M., McLoyd, V. and the NICHD Early Childcare Research Network. (2009). A latent class analysis of maternal depressive symptoms over 12 years and offspring adjustment in adolescence. Journal of Abnormal Psychology,118, 479-493.