Poster #67 - Factors Related to Child Development in the First Year of Life for Children from Low-Income and Poor Households

• In Event: 2-055 - Poster Session 06
  In Poster Session: PS 06 Section - Diversity, Equity & Social Justice

Integrative Statement

The effects of poverty on child development have been well studied in the extant literature (Duncan & Brooks-Gunn, 2000). Further, there is a large literature base on the importance of maternal sensitivity in the first year of life. Less is known about the other factors that may be related to child development for infants. Furthermore, the extant research has indicated that the effects of poverty start early in a child’s life but it is not clear how early and what factors may be related to children’s development during this important developmental stage. Therefore, the present study had three research aims: (a) to examine factors (parent, home, and neighborhood) during the first year of life for children from low-income and poor homes, (b) to examine which factors (parent, home, and neighborhood) are related to child development (cognition, language, motor), and (c) whether and to what extent does poverty status (low-income or poor) moderate the association between the factors and child development. Data from 230 mothers of infants participating in a larger study were examined. Predictors were parent-reported aspects of parent-, home-, and neighborhood related factors. Parent-related factors included parenting stress, depression, emotional support, financial and material support, and child-rearing support. Home-related factors included household confusion, food security, basic home environment, and home environment. The neighborhood-related factors were collective efficacy (social control and cohesion) and neighborhood disorder. Child development was measured using the Bayley Infant Scales of Development. Results indicated that parents from poor families had significantly lower perceptions of emotional, material, child-rearing support, basic home environment and the home environment subscales of acceptance of child, learning materials, and parental involvement in comparison to low-income families. In general, parent responsivity and parental involvement were significant predictors of child development for both infants from low-income and poor households; however, poverty status did not moderate this association. Therefore, the nonsignificant results for the interaction terms indicated that the association between parenting and child development are no more or less important for children from low-income homes than those from poor households.

Authors

• Jaclyn Dynia, The Ohio State University
  Presenting Author

• Abel J Koury, The Ohio State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Kelly M Purtell, The Ohio State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Laura Justice, The Ohio State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Jessica Logan, The Ohio State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Pamela Salsberry, The Ohio State University
  Non-Presenting Author