Vonda Jump, Senior Researcher

Dr. Jump is a Senior Research Associate at the Early Intervention Research Institute, with an emphasis on systems of care affecting infants in orphanages as well as parent-child relationships during the first several years of a child's life. Dr. Jump is the site liaison and training coordinator for the PICCOLO project, a project developing an easy to use measure to assess parent-child interactions, the SHELLS project, a project developing and evaluating a literacy-based curriculum for parents in a local Migrant Head Start program, and the UTELL project, a project focused on using technology in a fun way in early intervention programs serving young children in Part C and their parents.

Dr. Jump has also investigated the effects of infant massage on illness expression in vulnerable infants in Ecuadorian and Haitian orphanages. Dr. Jump has developed an intensive 4 day training program for use in collaboration with orphanage staff members, to augment their expertise and knowledge in a partnership relationship, to optimize outcomes for infants and young children living in orphanages. Dr. Jump has implemented a train the trainer model in orphanages in partnership with Hands to Hearts International. Dr. Jump has conducted training and/or research in orphanages in Ecuador, Haiti, India, and Russia. Dr. Jump has developed a listserv for those affiliated with orphanage work.

Dr. Jump is currently investigating the effects of infant massage on immune function in young babies. Dr. Jump's research focus is the physical and emotional effects of infant massage as well as the effects of training on parent and orphanage caregiver behavior and resulting child outcomes and she is currently seeking funding for several new projects to further these avenues of research. Moreover, Dr. Jump consults with parents of children adopted from international oprhanages to improve the developing parent-child relationship and resulting child outcomes. In addition, Dr. Jump teaches undergraduate and graduate child development classes in the Department of Family and Human Development as well as the Psychology Departments at Utah State University.

Roles at the CPD

• Main Profile
• Principle Investigator for project Child Care in Utah: How are we doing?
• Principal Investigator for project Infant Massage with Infants with Down Syndrome
• Co-Principal Investigator for project National Children's Study
• Principle Investigator for project Strengthening Early Childhood Education in Jordan
• Research Scientist for project Using Technology for Emergent Literacy and Language (UTELL)
• Sr. Research Associate for project Using Technology for Emergent Literqacy and Language (UTELL): Phase Two/Evaluation
• Program Coordinator for project Using Technology for Emergent Literqacy and Language (UTELL): Phase Two/Evaluation