Science Does Not Speak for Itself: Translating Child Development Research for the Public and Its Policymakers
Abstract
Science has an important role to play in advising policymakers on crafting effective responses to social problems that affect the development of children. This article describes lessons learned from a multiyear, working collaboration among neuroscientists, developmental psychologists, pediatricians, economists, and communications researchers who are engaged in the iterative construction of a core story of development, using simplifying models (i.e., metaphors) such as “brain architecture,”“toxic stress,” and “serve and return” to explain complex scientific concepts to nonscientists. The aim of this article is to stimulate more systematic, empirical approaches to the task of knowledge transfer and to underscore the need to view the translation of science into policy and practice as an important academic endeavor in its own right.
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- Authors
- Shonkoff, J. P., & Bales, S. N.
- Affiliations
- Harvard University (US)
- FrameWorks Institute (US)
- Corresponding author
- Shonkoff, Jack P
- Venue
- Child Development
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2011-01-01
- Volume
- 82
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 17-32
- ISSN
- 0009-3920 (ISSN-L)
- 1467-8624
- OpenAlex
- W1746024266
- Cited by
- 291
- References
- 53
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 26 · 2022: 22 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 29 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 25 · 2016: 22 · 2015: 23 · 2014: 20 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 14
- FWCI
- 32.42
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- Child Development (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Health Policy Implementation Science
- Social Sciences › General Social Sciences › Social Science and Policy Research
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Information Systems and Management › Interdisciplinary Research and Collaboration
- Keywords
- science translation, child development research, science-policy interface, knowledge transfer, science communication, toxic stress, serve and return, brain architecture, interdisciplinary collaboration, science advising
- MeSH terms
- Achievement, Brain, Child, Child Development, Child, Preschool, Communication, Cooperative Behavior, Health Education, Humans, Infant, Policy Making, Public Policy, Stress, Psychological, Interdisciplinary Communication, Translational Research, Biomedical
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