Abstract: Developmental cascades have been used in developmental psychology to describe processes by which function at one level or in one domain of behavior affects function at higher levels or the organization of competency in later developing domains of general adaptation. The effects refer to the cumulative consequences for development of the many interactions and transactions occurring in developing systems. The accumulative process of developmental cascades is extremely complex and the factors are comprehensive. So researchers explain the cumulative paths of developmental cascades from a variety of viewpoints. Some researchers suppose that developmental cascades of adaptive behavior are formed in particular developmental environment；but other researchers identify the cumulative effects through the interaction between genes and environment over time or through multiple dynamic model. In addition, some researchers propose generation to generation cascades from the perspective of intergenerational transmission. However researchers interpret the model, it always requires longitudinal data to test cascade model which are often difficult and time consuming. In previous longitudinal studies, the evidence that adaptive and maladaptive behaviors will promote or undermine development with ages appears to be one of the most widely corroborated patterns in the literature on developmental cascades. Theoretically, cognitive functioning and social adjustment in early childhood will exhibit the developmental cascading effects on academic achievement and problem behaviors eventually. In developmental direction, the cumulative effects may develop within one field or across several fields. These effects may be direct or indirect through various pathways as their ways of expression. So researchers attempted to test the relationship between cognitive function and academic achievement. Whereas, other researchers found that social competence can predict the behavior problems. As for across-field cascades, researchers have proposed several models of cascading effects. The adjustment erosion hypothesis posits that initial externalizing or internalizing symptoms were negatively related to later academic competence and showed increasing risks for vulnerability to symptoms of other domains in the future. The second hypothesis suggests that initial failures in academic functioning instigate the development of externalizing or internalizing symptoms, or exacerbate current symptoms of problem behaviors. Cascading effects may also be a product of “third variable” that individuals are on a path which underlies adjustment in multiple domains of functioning. In the longitudinal studies of developmental cascades, the researcher proposed the hypothesis named “theory of the intervention” that the intervention will change the mediating process which in turn, will change the developmental outcomes of the individual in critical adaptive domains. A series of research challenges for the developmental cascades have been listed. Even with powerful statistical model which testing the cascade effects in longitudinal designs, there are still alternative explanations for what is found in cascade effects. In addition, research which has tested cascades across developmental levels, linking context to behavior or behavior to neural or biologic function requires interdisciplinary team. Finally, how to use the theory of “intervention” to promote children's development could be a challenge. These should be the most important issue that we will explore in the future.

Key words: developmental cascades, children, cognitive functioning, social adjustment

摘要： 发展瀑布效应指的是在复杂的发展过程中各种交互作用或相互作用的累积结果，这种发展的累积效应导致跨越不同水平、领域、系统或者不同世代的传播效应。本文阐述了研究者利用发展瀑布效应解释儿童认知功能与社会适应领域的发展时采用的不同模型，介绍了儿童认知功能与社会适应领域的发展瀑布效应，最后对发展瀑布效应在这两个领域的研究方法与应用价值进行了总结与展望。

关键词: 发展瀑布效应 ，儿童， 认知功能， 社会适应