Research Director
NYU Grossman School of Medicine

Dr. Caitlin Canfield is a developmental psychologist who studies how children’s traits and environments shape their development. Her research focuses on the effects of family and neighborhood stress on parenting and early childhood well-being. She aims to tailor interventions to support children's cognitive and emotional needs.

Featured Works

  • Miller, E. B., Canfield, C. F., Roby, E., Wippick, H., Shaw, D. S., Mendelsohn, A. L., & Morris‐Perez, P. A. (2024). Enhancing early language and literacy skills for racial/ethnic minority children with low incomes through a randomized clinical trial: The mediating role of cognitively stimulating parent-child interactions. Child Development, 95(4), 1172–1185. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.14064

  • Roby, E., Roby, C. F., Canfield, A. M., Seery, B., & Dreyer, A. L. (2024). Promotion of Positive Childhood Experiences and Early Relational Health in Pediatric Primary Care: Accumulating Evidence. Acad Pediatr, 24(2), 201–203. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acap.2023.09.008

  • Canfield, C. F., Miller, E. B., Taraban, L., Aviles, A. I., Rosas, J., Mendelsohn, A. L., Morris, P., & Shaw, D. (2023). Impacts of a tiered intervention on child internalizing and externalizing behavior in the context of maternal depression. Development and Psychopathology, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579423001475

  • Canfield, C. F., Miller, E. B., Zhang, Y., Shaw, D., Morris, P., Galan, C., & Mendelsohn, A. L. (2023). Tiered universal and targeted early childhood interventions: Enhancing attendance across families with varying needs. Early Childhood Research Quarterly., 63, 362–369. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2023.01.004

  • Canfield, C. F., O’Connell, L., Sadler, R. C., Gutierrez, J., Williams, S., & Mendelsohn, A. L. (2022). Not built for families: Associations between neighborhood disinvestment and reduced parental cognitive stimulation. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 933245–933245. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.933245