Cognitive Development 

Aims: International research finds Twenty-first Century Skills (21 CS) important to human capital, health, and school success. Determining how 21 CS's (e.g., emotional regulation, communication, perspective taking, planning, and flexibility) develop within Singapore's unique linguistic and cultural milieu can inform science and policy to help Singaporean families.

Methodology: Recruitment of roughly 980 children from the Bedok and Punggol polyclinics will occur over 2 years. Children and their families will participate in a cross-sequential study, which is similar to a longitudinal study but with differing points of entry to minimize cohort effects. Recruitment will follow the health booklet schedule with children entering the study at one of four designated time points (4-5 months, 5-7 months, 16-19 months, or 34-38 months). Depending on the age of study entry children will take part in 2-8 clinic visits, with the last clinic visit occurring when children are 4 years of age. A combination of questionnaires, eye tracking, video recordings, and direct testing will be used to assess child development and environmental influences upon its growth. Importance of proposed research to science or medicine: By school entry children already display individual differences in 21 CS, and these early life differences may predict later mental health, educational success, well-being, and even physical health. Better understanding the development of individual differences within the local context will enable the creating of more targeted and cost-effective prevention and intervention programs at appropriate stages of early development.