Dr. Janette Herbers and her Adversity and Resilience in Development (ARD) lab at Villanova University are conducting a comprehensive longitudinal study, funded by the National Science Foundation, into the benefits and efficacy of My Baby's First Teacher. The study follows parents with infants staying in Philadelphia-area emergency shelters over the span of eight months, and meets with each family three times. Half of the families are randomly assigned to participate in My Baby's First Teacher, while the other half of families are assigned to a care-as-usual group. The project utilizes parent-report surveys, observational measures, and biological data to assess the impact of the My Baby's First Teacher and experiences of family homelessness more generally across several levels of analysis. The project is currently on its fourth year..