The Impact of Poverty on Early Development

Poverty is more than an economic issue—it’s a developmental crisis requiring effective, innovative solutions.

Across the United States, millions of young children face the devastating effects of poverty, which shapes their brains, behavior, and future opportunities. Backed by cutting-edge research and featuring the leading voices in developmental psychology, neuroscience, education, and policy, this groundbreaking volume uncovers the real impact of poverty on early development—and how we can change the trajectory.

In this book, readers will explore:

• how poverty reshapes brain development and school readiness
• the unique challenges of rural poverty and immigrant families
• the intersection of race and poverty—and what it means for young children
• evidence-based solutions, including early intervention, education, and policy strategies

Knowledge fuels change. This book arms professionals, policymakers, and educators with the critical insights they need to create better futures for all children.

Contributors

Acknowledgments

• Chapter 1. Introduction: Poverty Is a Developmental Hazard
  Ann M. Mastergeorge and Melissa A. Barnett

Part I. The Multisystemic Nature of Poverty

• Chapter 2. The Economic Contexts of Early Childhood: Why Not All Poverty Is the Same
  Ross A. Thompson
• Chapter 3. Poverty and School Readiness in Early Childhood: Impacts on Cognitive, Socioemotional, and Physical Development
  Caitlin Lombardi and Vanessa Esquivel
• Chapter 4. Poverty and the Social Determinants of Health: Impacts and Avenues for Intervention
  Maureen M. Black
• Chapter 5. Neurobiology and Toxic Stress: How the Adverse Experience of Poverty Impacts Early Development
  Elex Simbeck, Genevieve Patterson, Pilyoung Kim, and Sarah E. Watamura
• Chapter 6. The Role of Quality Early Care and Education for Children Experiencing Poverty
  Jennifer A. Mortensen and Katherine W. Paschall
• Chapter 7. Contexts for Early Development in Two-Generation Studies
  Catherine C. Ayoub and Christina F. Mondi
• Chapter 8. The Impact of Poverty on Brain Development
  Sonya V. Troller-Renfree, Maya L. Rosen, Haleigh M. Brown, Hannah W. Hafner, & Josué Rico-Picó
• Part II. Poverty and Special Populations
  Chapter 9. The Impact of Rural Poverty on Early Development
  W. Roger Mills-Koonce, Cathi B. Propper, Margaret M. Swingler, and Lynne Vernon-Feagans
• Chapter 10. The Impact of Environmental Stress on Early Development in U.S. Immigrant Families
  Maggie Gillen, Dhruti Sheth, and Sandra Barrueco
• Chapter 11. Double Jeopardy: The Intersection of Race and Poverty in the Lives of Young Children
  Brenda Jones Harden, Alysa Herrera Taylor, and Melissa Duchene-Kelly

Part III. Linking Research With Policy to Address Child Poverty

• Chapter 12. Prevention Science and Policy: Understanding the Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Implications
  Sarah F. Hatch and Stephanie M. Jones
• Chapter 13. Key Themes and Future Directions
  Melissa A. Barnett and Ann M. Mastergeorge

Index

About the Editors

Ann M. Mastergeorge, PhD, is the Rockwell Endowed Professor in Human Development and Family Sciences in the College of Health and Human Sciences, as well as associate vice provost in outreach and engagement. She has expertise in early developmental trajectories, health disparities, the impact of poverty on developmental outcomes, and prevention and early intervention strategies for young children at developmental risk. She has published numerous papers in substantive areas related to early social communication, the impacts of environmental and biological factors on early brain development and school readiness, and the impact of parenting on developmental outcomes for young children.

Melissa A. Barnett, PhD, is a professor in human development and family science and the Norton Endowed Chair in Fathers, Parenting, and Families at the University of Arizona. She is the director of the Frances McClelland Institute for Children, Youth, and Families, which applies research to support child and family resilience. Her research examines how contextual risks and assets influence caregiver-child relationships, multigenerational well-being, and early childhood development, with a focus on poverty. The ultimate goal of this work is to inform practices and policies to promote health and well-being among young children and their caregivers.