The latest research on child development may hold the key to the parenting of the future.

Combining the expertise of its author – a celebrated expert in parent-infant mental health and mother of two – with the latest findings in gene-by-environment interactions, epigenetics, behavioural science, and attachment theory, Scientific Parenting describes how children’s genes determine their sensitivity to good or bad parenting, how environmental cues can switch critical genes on or off, and how addictive tendencies and mental health problems can become hardwired into the human brain.
The book traces conditions as diverse as heart disease, obesity, and depression to their origins in early childhood. It brings readers to the frontier of developmental research, unlocking the fascinating scientific discoveries currently hidden away in academic tomes and scholarly journals. Above all, Scientific Parenting explains why parenting really matters and how parents’ smallest actions can transform their children’s lives.

Dr. Nicole Letourneau is a research chair in parent-infant mental health at the University of Calgary. She has published more than 75 articles and contributed to 13 books on child development. Her research has been featured in the Globe and Mail, the Calgary Herald, CTV News, and the CBC. She lives in Calgary.

Nicole Letourneau's profile page

Justin Joschko received his M.A. in creative writing from the University of New Brunswick. Currently, he works as a freelance writer, researcher, and qualitative analyst. He lives in Ottawa.

Justin Joschko's profile page