The work of the Child Development and Family Studies Laboratory (LEDEF) focuses on the development of vulnerable children, such as those who are victims of child abuse and neglect, as well as the parent-child attachment relationship. These identify risk and protection factors for abuse and neglect in vulnerable families. The laboratory’s various projects also aim to promote the well-being of families through relational intervention to children reported to the DPJ, which improves parental sensitivity, children’s development and makes more informed decisions about the placement of children.
The Laboratory for Child and Family Development Studies (LEDEF) is an infrastructure associated with the Canada Research Chair in Child Attachment and Development. The chair’s research activities are based on two main axes. Axis 1 aims to assess the effectiveness of Relational Intervention, a parent-child intervention based on a state-of-the-art approach that uses video feedback from parent-child exchanges and positive reinforcement. To improve parent-child interventions, Axis 2 aims to better understand the role of parent-child relationships in the transmission of risk and the inadequacy of young children. This Chair will have a direct impact on the well-being of children and their families and on improving professional practices for them.
A highly qualified team of bachelors, PhD students, postdoctoral fellows, research trainees in partnership with clinical circles here and abroad are collaborating with Professor Cyr to carry out the work of the Chair. Observational methods, longitudinal and intervention quotes, and meta-analyses are used to carry out the work, which is carried out with clinical settings and co-investigators from here and abroad.
The LEDEF provides a platform adapted to the audiovisual and developmental requirements of studies carried out with families with vulnerable young children. The work of the LEDEF and the Research Chair has a direct impact on improving the quality of parental care and overall child development, as well as improving the professional practices of stakeholders, physicians and clinicians working with this clientele.
