Byron Egeland and Alan Sroufe have spent their careers studying the factors that influence how people function. Despite retiring this year–Egeland in January and Sroufe come May–they remain dedicated to research in child development.
As part of that commitment, they are continuing their landmark Minnesota Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. The 35-year, world-renowned study has followed its research subjects from infancy through adulthood, examining social relationships, risk factors, and other significant influences on development.

At its core, the study examines how attachment between a parent and child develops and how this can affect long-term development. Among their findings: attachment influences dropout rates, academic achievement, and other key educational measures.
Read more about Egeland and Sroufe’s work in the Winter/Spring ’10 issue of Connect.