Capacity Building for Neurodevelopmental Research on Maya Children’s Language Environment

项目摘要 这项探索性/发展性研究补助金将为“全球大脑和神经系统”提供支持。 通过两个重点进行整个生命周期的系统疾病研究：（1）为可持续的神经系统疾病奠定基础， 墨西哥尤卡坦州的健康研究能力集中在大脑发育的早期， 尤卡坦玛雅儿童，和（2）提高对尤卡坦玛雅儿童的早期影响的理解 语言轨迹具体目标1是提高墨西哥Solyluna A.C.的当地研究能力。 计划，实施和传播关于语言特异性神经发育功能和障碍的研究 在尤卡坦玛雅儿童中。具体目标2是对家庭环境进行试点纵向研究 以及它对尤卡坦玛雅儿童早期语言轨迹的影响。对于后者，我们使用行为 西班牙语和玛雅语言技能的测量，用于近似大脑皮层的结构和功能 语言支持脑区。 为了实现目标1，我们开展了为期两年的活动，旨在发展研究能力， Solyluna团队在八个领域：（1）研究伦理和人类受试者保护，（2）参与者 招募、筛选、注册和维护;（3）在儿童语言评估中实施 玛雅语和西班牙语与完整性，（4）制定，试点和实施照顾者问卷， (5)实施观察工具，以测量家庭环境，（6）数据输入，清洁， 数据库管理，（7）数据分析和解释，以及（8）传播。这些能力将 在六个能力建设研讨会和协调一致的数据分析工作会议中明确讨论。的 设在业务支助股的小组和专家顾问在所有八个领域都有专门知识， 与纵向试点研究相一致的经验。 为了实现目标2，我们设计、实施和传播了一项纵向试点研究，涉及100个3- 20岁的尤卡坦玛雅儿童及其照顾者。Dyads将参加为期18个月的研究活动 期因此，我们希望在基线和儿童期收集一份全面的照顾者问卷。 在4个时间点进行语言评估和家庭观察，间隔约为4- 5个月。家 观察包括旨在衡量照顾者福祉、家庭困难、父母与子女关系的活动。 互动质量和接触儿童指导的谈话。多水平增长曲线模型将用于 调查在四个时间点捕获的儿童的语言轨迹，并检查 家庭环境指数与这些轨迹的关系。

Project Summary This Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant will provide support for `global brain and nervous system disorders research across the lifespan' via two foci: (1) developing foundations for sustainable neuro- health research capacity in Mexico's Yucatán state focused on the early years of brain development for Yucatec Maya children, and (2) improving understanding of influences on Yucatec Maya children's early language trajectories. Specific Aim 1 is to improve local research capacity at the Mexico-based Solyluna A.C. to plan, conduct, and disseminate research on language-specific neurodevelopmental function and disorders among Yucatec Maya children. Specific Aim 2 is to conduct a pilot longitudinal study of the home environment and its influence on Yucatec Maya children's early language trajectories. For the latter, we use behavioral measures of Spanish and Mayan language skill, which serve to approximate the cortical structure and function of language-supporting brain regions. To address Aim 1, we engage in two-years of activities designed to develop the research capabilities of the Solyluna-based team in eight areas: (1) research ethics and human-subject protections, (2) participant recruitment, screening, enrollment, and maintenance; (3) implementation of child language assessments in Mayan and Spanish with integrity, (4) development, piloting, and implementation of caregiver questionnaires, (5) implementation of observational tools to measure the home environment, (6) data-entry, cleaning, and database management, (7) data analyses and interpretation, and (8) dissemination. These competencies will be explicitly addressed in six capacity-building workshops and aligned data-analysis working sessions. The OSU-based team and expert consultants have expertise in all eight areas and also bring substantive experience aligned to the longitudinal pilot study. To address Aim 2, we design, implement, and disseminate a longitudinal pilot study involving 100 3- year-old Yucatec Maya children and their caregivers. Dyads will participate in study activities over an 18-month period. Tentatively, we expect to collect a comprehensive caregiver questionnaire at baseline and child language assessments and home observations at 4 time-points with roughly 4- to 5-month intervals. Home observations include activities designed to measure caregiver well-being, household hardship, parent-child interaction quality, and exposure to child-directed talk. Multilevel growth-curve models will be used to investigate the language trajectories for children captured at four time-points and to examine the contribution of the home-environment indices to these trajectories.