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Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Medical Education

Date Submitted: Aug 5, 2025
Open Peer Review Period: Aug 25, 2025 - Oct 20, 2025
Date Accepted: May 5, 2026
(closed for review but you can still tweet)

The final, peer-reviewed published version of this preprint can be found here:

Implementation of Emotional Connection Training in Pediatric Primary Care: Mixed Methods Study

Erickson E, Amati JB, Miller-Fitzwater A, Best DL, Johanson E, Preiss D, Brown A, Crotty JE, Gillen L, Dumitriu D, Grier C, Gustafson KK, Shearman N, Lavallée A, Warmingham J, Arduin E, Shearman N, Young J, Sperling J

Implementation of Emotional Connection Training in Pediatric Primary Care: Mixed Methods Study

JMIR Med Educ 2026;12:e81250

DOI: 10.2196/81250

PMID: 42302308

PMCID: 13271710

Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.

Implementation of Emotional Connection Training in Pediatric Primary Care: A mixed-methods study

  • Elizabeth Erickson; 
  • J. Blakely Amati; 
  • Anna Miller-Fitzwater; 
  • Debra L. Best; 
  • Elena Johanson; 
  • Doreet Preiss; 
  • Adrian Brown; 
  • Jennifer E Crotty; 
  • Leah Gillen; 
  • Dani Dumitriu; 
  • Cherece Grier; 
  • Kristina K Gustafson; 
  • Nicole Shearman; 
  • Andréane Lavallée; 
  • Jennifer Warmingham; 
  • Elena Arduin; 
  • Nikki Shearman; 
  • Jackie Young; 
  • Jessica Sperling

ABSTRACT

Background:

Background:

The intricate process of brain development occurs most rapidly in the first three years of life and depends on the complex interplay of a child’s biological and emotional responses to their environment. Training in Early Relational Health (ERH) and Emotional Connection (EC) can improve clinicians’ knowledge of and attitudes about the importance of these domains in primary care.

Objective:

Objective:

In collaboration with Reach Out and Read and Columbia University, the Carolinas Collaborative investigated the acceptability, feasibility, and impact of implementing a curriculum that addressed the influence of ERH on child development and the observable features of EC within the pediatric well-child visit.

Methods:

Design/

Methods:

Participants completed an educational module about EC and responded to embedded surveys to evaluate the content and experience of the module. Focus groups were conducted with participants who had completed the modules to further understand the educational experience.

Results:

Results:

The module was determined to be valuable to the majority of participants and feasible for completion for both residents and clinicians across all sites. Participants reported that there was a significant benefit in the information provided, and most would recommend this to other clinicians. Changes were noted in both perceptions of the importance of information about EC and knowledge acquisition.

Conclusions:

Conclusions:

Early Relational Health and Emotional Connection are foundational to healthy child development, and education about these topics can be delivered through asynchronous digital modules. Clinical Trial: This study was not a clinical trial and therefore did not require registration.


 Citation

Please cite as:

Erickson E, Amati JB, Miller-Fitzwater A, Best DL, Johanson E, Preiss D, Brown A, Crotty JE, Gillen L, Dumitriu D, Grier C, Gustafson KK, Shearman N, Lavallée A, Warmingham J, Arduin E, Shearman N, Young J, Sperling J

Implementation of Emotional Connection Training in Pediatric Primary Care: Mixed Methods Study

JMIR Med Educ 2026;12:e81250

DOI: 10.2196/81250

PMID: 42302308

PMCID: 13271710

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