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The Center for Mental Health Promotion was founded in 1998 with the broad mission of exploring ways of promoting mental health in children and families. Research has shown that contingent, responsive parenting can lead to the most favorable outcomes for children in terms of their cognitive, emotional, social, and physical health. 

However, responsiveness that is inconsistent or mostly lacking can have a significant impact on children as they mature. Consequently, problems that these experiences can pose can be quite challenging to change later in life.

Therefore, it is important to understand the mechanisms underlying these experiences, particularly the mental representations that result from these early interactions with caregivers. The Center has sponsored research that leads to improved responsive parenting practices which are described on this site.

The current focus of the Center is on providing a resource where information on the factors that can both enhance responsive parenting as well as derail it is highlighted. Also included are the various programs and approaches that have been developed that can improve the sensitive attunement of parents. Gaining a greater understanding of this is the best means for reducing the potential acquisition of the negative patterns that can develop as our personalities form. 

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