Investigating Time Invariance of the HOME Inventory in Disadvantaged Families

• In Event: Early Learning and Development: Tools, Contexts, and Outcomes

Abstract

One mechanism to explain child development disparities is lied in affected quality of environmental stimulation for children. Using data from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS), this study aimed to validate the time invariance of the HOME Inventory at four developmental stages (infancy/toddlerhood, early childhood, middle childhood, and early adolescence) in disadvantages families. While the factor structures generally fit the data, some items were removed due to measurement issues. Scalar invariance was confirmed for the Acceptance, Verbal Skills, and Exterior Environment subscales, enabling meaningful comparisons across time. This research enhances home environment understanding by time and may help inform interventions aimed at improving child development, particularly for African American and single-parent families.

Authors

• Zhenqiao Yang, Southeast Missouri State University

• Amelia Miramonti, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

• Dan Wang, University of Okalahoma

• Qingyu Jiang, University of Nebraska - Lincoln