Publications
Classroom Memory Study Key Publications
Westover, A. E., & Coffman, J. L. (2026). Elementary students' strategic studying: An exploration of emerging strategy use and early cognitive predictors. Metacognition and Learning.
Cook, O. K., Westover, A. E., & Coffman, J. L. (2025). Children’s early math problem-solving: The role of parent numeracy practices, numeracy expectations, and math attitudes. Journal of Numerical Cognition. https://doi.org/10.5964/jnc.16725
Coffman, J. L., Westover, A. E., Grammer, J. K., McNeish, D., & Ornstein, P. A. (2025). Deliberate memory strategy development: The interplay of children’s self-regulated learning abilities and teachers’ cognitive processing language. Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition. https://doi-org.proxy180.nclive.org/10.1037/mac0000241
+Coffman, J. L., +Westover, A. E., Cook, O. K., Curran, P.J., & Ornstein, P.A. (2025). Children’s strategic memory development: The delayed role of kindergarten teachers’ instructional language. Developmental Psychology, 61(10), 1941–1953. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0001951
Cook O. K., Coffman, J. L., & Ornstein, P.A. (2023). The Development of Children’s Autobiographical and Deliberate and Mother-Child Reminiscing. Journal of Cognition and Development, 24(5), 704 – 719. https://doi-org.libproxy.uncg.edu/10.1080/15248372.2023.2225620
Grammer, J. K., Coffman, J. L., Sidney, P. G., & Ornstein, P. A. (2016). Linking teacher instruction and student achievement in mathematics: The role of teacher language. Journal of Cognition and Development, 468-485. doi: 10.1080/15248372.2015.1068777.
Coffman, J. L., Ornstein, P. A., McCall, L. E., & Curran, P. J. (2008). Linking teachers' memory-relevant language and the development of children's memory skills. Developmental Psychology, 44, 1640-1654. doi:10.1037/a0013859. PMID 18999327.
Grammer, J. K., Purtell, K. M., Coffman, J. L., & Ornstein, P. A. (2011). Relations between children’s metamemory and strategic performance: Time-varying covariates in early elementary school. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 108(1), 139-155. doi: 10.1016/j.jecp.2010.08.001. PMID: 20863515.
Ornstein, P. A., Haden, C. A., & Coffman, J. L. (2013). Learning to remember: Mothers and teachers talking with children. In N. L. Stein & S. Raudenbush (Eds.), Developmental cognitive science goes to school. (pp. 69-83) New York, NY: Taylor & Francis.
Grammer, J. K., Coffman, J. L., & Ornstein, P. A. (2013). The effect of teachers' memory relevant language on children's strategy use and knowledge. Child Development, 84, 1989-2002. doi: 10.1111/cdev.12100.
Grammer, J. K., Coffman, J. L., Morrison, F. & Ornstein, P. A. (2013). Change over time: Conducting longitudinal studies of children’s cognitive development. Journal of Cognition and Development, 14, 515-528. doi:10.1080/15248372.2013.833925.
Coffman, J. L., Grammer, J. K., Hudson, K. N., Thomas, T. E., Villwock, D. & Ornstein, P. A. (2018). Relating children’s early elementary classroom experiences to later skilled remembering and studying. Journal of Cognition and Development. doi: 10.1080/15248372.2018.1470976
Ornstein, P. A. & Coffman, J. L. (2020). Toward an understanding of the development of skilled remembering: The role of teachers’ instructional language. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 29(5), 445-452. doi: 10.1177/0963721420925543
Coffman, J. L. & Cook, O. K. (2021). Overview: The Development of Memory in the Elementary Classroom Context. In L. E. Baker-Ward, D. F. Bjorklund, & J. L. Coffman (Eds.), The Development of Children’s Memory: The Scientific Contributions of Peter A. Ornstein. Cambridge University Press
Learning, Emotion, and Play in Schools (LEAPS) Key Publications
Raising Grateful Children Key Publications
Holochwost, S. J., Coffman, J. L., *Westover, A. E., Wagner, N. J., Carr, R. C., & Propper, C. B. (2026). Associations between social engagement and parasympathetic activity in the early childhood education classroom. Child Development.
Nelson Darling, L., Holochwost, S. J., Coffman, J. L., Propper, C. B., & Wagner, N. J. (2022). Context is key: Parasympathetic regulation in the classroom differentially predicts preschoolers’ socially competent behaviors. Developmental Psychobiology. https://doi.org/10.1002/dev.22246
Propper, C. B., Gustafsson, H. C., Holochwost, S. J., & Coffman, J. L. (2021). Parasympathetic response to challenge in infancy moderates the effects of sociodemographic risk on academic achievement at school entry. Developmental Psychobiology, 63(6). https://doi.org/10.1002/dev.22170
Swetlitz, C., Lynch, S. F., Propper C. B., Coffman, J. L., & Wagner, N. J. (2021). Examining maternal reminiscing as a protective factor in the intergenerational transmission of psychopathology. Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology, 49(8), 989–999. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-021-00790-4
Wagner, N. J., Holochwost, S. J., Danko, C., Propper, C. B., & Coffman, J. L. (2021). Observed peer competence moderates links between children’s self-regulation skills and academic performance. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 54, 286-293. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2020.10.001
Holochwost, S., Propper, C., Rehder, P., Wang, G., Wagner, N., & Coffman, J. L. (2019). Parasympathetic function: Relevance and methodology for early education research. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 12(4), 728–749. doi:10.1080/19345747.2019.1631422.
Midgette, A. J., Coffman, J. L., and Hussong, A. (2022). What parents and children say when talking about children’s gratitude: A thematic analysis. Journal of Child and Family Studies. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-021-02222-9
Hussong, A. M., Coffman, J. L., & Halberstadt, A. G. (2021). Parenting and the development of children’s gratitude. Child Development Perspectives. https://doi-org.libproxy.uncg.edu/10.1111/cdep.12434
Hussong, A. H., Midgette, A. J. Richards, A. N., Petrie, R. C., Coffman, J. L., & Thomas, T. E. (2021). COVID-19 Life Events Spill-Over on Family Functioning and Adolescent Adjustment. Journal of Early Adolescence
Hussong, A. H., Midgette, A. J. Thomas, T. E., Coffman, J. L., & Cho, S. (2021). Coping and Mental Health in Early Adolescence during COVID-19. Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology, 49, 1113-1123. https://doi-org /10.1007/s10802-021-00821-0
Hussong, A. M., Coffman, J. L., & Thomas, T. E. (2019). Gratitude conversations: An experimental trial of an online parenting tool. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 15 (2), 267-277. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2019.1610484
Hussong, A. M., Langley, H. A., Rothenberg, W. A., Coffman, J. L., Halberstadt, A. G., Costanzo, P., & Mokrova, I. (2018). Raising grateful children one day at a time. Applied Developmental Science, 23(4), 371-384. doi:10.1080/10888691.2018.1441713
Hussong, A. M., Langley, H. L., Thomas, T. E., Coffman, J. L., Halberstadt, A. G., Costanzo, P. R., & Rothenberg, W. A. (2018). Measuring Gratitude in Children. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 14(5), 563-575. doi 10.1080/17439760.2018.1497692
Rothenberg, W.A., Hussong, A.M., Langley, H.A., Egerton. G.A., Halberstadt, A. G., Coffman, J. L., Mokrova, I., & Costanzo, P.R. (2017). Grateful parents raising grateful children: Niche selection and the socialization of child gratitude. Applied Developmental Science, 106-120. doi: 10.1080/10888691.2016.1175945
Halberstadt, A. G., Langley, H.A., Hussong, A. M., Coffman, J. L., Rothenberg, W. A., Mokrova, I., & Costanzo, P. R. (2016). Parents’ understanding of gratitude in young children: A thematic analysis. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 36,439-451. doi:10.1016/j.ecresq.2016.01.014
Other Key Publications
Baker-Ward, L. E., Bjorklund, D. F., & Coffman, J. L. (Eds.). (2021). The Development of Children’s Memory: The Scientific Contributions of Peter A. Ornstein. Cambridge University Press.
Coffman, J. L., Westover, A. E., Cook, O. K., Lutolli, A. & Girod, S. (2022, Revise and Resubmit). Exploring early cognitive development in context: Basic research and applied implications. In J. D. Osofsky, H. E. Fitzgerald, M. Keren, & K. Puura (Eds.), WAIMH Handbook of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health: Vol 1, Biopsychosocial Factors Affecting Infancy and Early Childhood. Cham, Switzerland, Springer. Under Review