This course is designed to give a multilevel perspective on the social, biological, and neurological consequences of childhood adversity, such as poverty, maltreatment, and institutionalization. Students will learn about the importance of timing and duration of adversity as well as type of adversity. Emphasis will be placed on understanding how the biological realities of early adversity contribute to emotional and behavioral problems later in life. Students will also consider how some children appear resilient in the face of these challenges while other children face lifelong obstacles due to their experiences. In addition to learning about forms of adversity, we will be serving children at risk for these experiences during the semester, working with a pre-selected community partner. Students are expected to complete 30 hours of service during the course of the semester. Prerequisites: PSYC 100, PSYC 301.