Effects of Family and Neighborhood Vulnerability on Dual Language Learner and Monolingual Children's Preschool Outcomes

• In Event: Early Childhood Language Practices

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if family socioeconomic risk and neighborhood vulnerability were predictive of monolingual and Dual Language Learner(DLL) children’s executive function(EF) and social-emotional skills. The sample included 1065 preschool-aged children. Of the 1065 children, 729 were monolingual, 218 were Spanish-English emergent bilinguals(EB), and 104 were Spanish-English proficient bilinguals(PB). PB children demonstrated the highest EF and social-emotional skills. Neighborhood vulnerability was predictive of EF skills for monolingual children only, suggesting that speaking two languages may serve as a protective factor for DLL’s EF skills, even when in vulnerable neighborhoods. Family risk was associated with higher behavior concerns for both EB and monolingual children, suggesting that having threshold amounts of both languages may help DLL children’s behavior.

Authors

• Elizabeth Frechette, The University of Oklahoma

• Sherri L. Castle, Child Trends

• Shinyoung Jeon, University of Oklahoma

• Irving Martinez Hernandez, University of Oklahoma

• Denise Vega, University of Oklahoma

• Shawn Schaefer, University of Oklahoma

• Diane M. Horm, University of Oklahoma - Tulsa