Child Development & Social Policy Lab
Georgetown University, Department of Psychology
Our Research
Our research focuses on understanding and strengthening families, educational settings, and communities as key agents of change for the positive development of young children through young adults. Within these contexts, we study: Public Pre-K-12 Education, Parenting Practices, Food Insecurity, Academic Adjustment, Mental Health, and Identity Development
Public Pre-K-12 Education
Parenting Practices
Food Insecurity
Ethnic-Racial Identity & Psychosocial Adjustment
Our Mission
The Child Development & Social Policy Lab (CDSP) exists to identify effective strategies for supporting the optimal development of children and youth at home, in their schools, and beyond. We focus on youth of diverse backgrounds and abilities whose life chances are often compromised by the contexts that accompany racism, poverty, and food insecurity in the U.S. We endeavor to identify programs and policies that hold promise as avenues for ensuring the strong developmental growth of all children and youth and help achieve equity for all.
Our Vision
Our research is motivated by a vision of the U.S. in which youths’ pathways through school and into society are determined not by their family background, but by their equitable access to opportunities to reach their developmental potential.
To learn more about what’s on our minds right now, click here.
Join us!
We welcome all young scholars who want to train as developmental scientists working at the intersection of research, practice, and policy to apply to join our lab . Dr. Anna Johnson and Dr. Kristia Wantchekon are accepting graduate students for the 2025-2026 school year.
Additionally, we're looking for a part-time data collector for our parenting intervention, Connect to Baby! Apply here!