Scott D. Gest, Ph.D.

1995, University of Minnesota

Associate Professor of Human Development

S-110 Henderson
(814) 865-3464
gest@psu.edu

Research

My research focuses on developmental processes linking academic skills, peer experiences and socio-emotional adjustment during middle childhood and early adolescence. I study these processes during two major social and academic transitions: the entry into formal schooling and the transition from elementary school to middle school. I am especially interested in how to conceptualize and measure peer experiences and peer social network dynamics. My current research efforts focus on two projects:

Middle School Transition Project. In the Fall of 2001, Janet Welsh and I initiated a longitudinal study of 427 children enrolled in grades 3, 4 and 5 in a nearby community. Our goal was to work with the school district to clarify social-contextual influences on school adaptation. We gathered twice-yearly assessments (teacher, self and peer reports) until each grade-cohort completed 7th grade. Our measures focused on students’ peer experiences (friendships, groups and overall reputations), relationships with adults at school and perceptions of the school environment. Due to high residential stability in the community, a unique feature of this study is the relatively complete data on friendships and peer groups across multiple assessments spanning three to five school years. We are now collaborating with two social network methodologists (James Moody, Duke Department of Sociology; and Daniel McFarland, Stanford School of Education) to conduct more comprehensive analyses of these peer network dynamics.

Head Start REDI(REsearch-based, Developmentally Informed). This project is a randomized control trial testing the impact of a pre-kindergarten curriculum designed to enhance children's school readiness (Karen Bierman, PI). The curriculum features specific activities and general teaching strategies to promote language/literacy and social-emotional skills. The curriculum was implemented in 22 Head Start classrooms in central Pennsylvania between 2004 and 2006. As children in these classrooms move into elementary school, we will compare their school adjustment to that of children from 20 Comparison classrooms. Two major goals are to clarify processes that led to high-quality implementation of the curriculum, and to identify mediators and moderators of program impact (i.e., how and for whom did the program work).

In addition to these two projects, I maintain long-term collaborative relationships with colleagues directing the Carolina Longitudinal Study (CLS; initiated by Bob and Beverley Cairns at UNC-Chapel Hill, currently directed by Tom Farmer and Hongling Xie) and Project Competence (directed by Ann Masten at the University of Minnesota).

Education

Professional Experience

Manuscripts Under Review

Publications