Poster #92 - Caregiver Reported Early Development Index: Relations between socioeconomic status, household stimulation, and child development

• In Event: 2-055 - Poster Session 06
  In Poster Session: PS 06 Section - Family Context & Processes

Integrative Statement

Research on socioeconomic status (SES) has the potential to contribute to a better understanding of how SES influences on household stimulation and child development, providing a framework for interventions designed to improve the child outcomes. Population measures of early childhood development (ECD) can leverage culturally relevant, evidence-based ECD policies and targeted investments to improve the potential of a nation’s young children (Mustard & Young, 2007). The present study aims to examine the relations between socioeconomic status (SES), household stimulation, and child development in Brazil. Participants were 640 caregivers of children from 28 to 35 months living in the city of São Paulo, in Southeast Brazil. The project was approved by the Research Ethics Committee. Child development was measure using a population-level measure of ECD for children from birth to age three, the Caregiver Reported Early Development Index (CREDI). The CREDI exclusively relies on caregiver reports to assess the overall development of children from 0 to 35 months across motor, language, cognition, socioemotional and mental health domains. The CREDI is scored continuously using age-standardized scoring procedures. Caregivers reported on cognitive stimulation using items from UNICEF’s Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey ECD module capturing adult-child interactions (e.g., read, tell stories, sing songs, count and draw with the children). SES was determined using the following indicators: caregiver education, a SES sum score including question regarding presence household assets (e.g., bathroom, car, and TV), and a fragile family score including questions on the interior of house or apartment (e.g., broken windows and holes in the floor). A partially latent structural equation model (SEM) was used to test direct and indirect model pathways. We included SES, as a predictor, home stimulation as mediator, and child development (CREDI total score) as outcomes. Attendance to day care centers and child gender was used as control variables predicting child development. The pathways were considered statistically significant at p < 0.05. Results of the SEM model revealed adequate overall model fit, RMSEA = 0.036, SRMR= 0.031, CFI = 0.95, x2 (32) =58.26; x2/df =1.82. Within this model, several significant direct pathways were found (Figure 1). First, SES was significantly and positively predictive of more home stimulation and higher CREDI score. Second, home stimulation, attendance to day care centers, and child gender were significantly and positively predictive of higher CREDI score. Results of tests for indirect pathways did not reveal significant indirect relations between SES and child development via home stimulation. The SES showed a direct relationship with child development, suggesting that children with a lower socioeconomic level need special attention and intervention programs to help caregivers to adequately stimulate their children. These findings also support the hypothesis that stimulation at home and day care centers may be effective in closing gaps in child development. The results also provide preliminary evidence of the to assist in the evaluation and development of public policies.

Authors

• Elisa Rachel Pisani Altafim, University of São Paulo
  Presenting Author

• Dana McCoy, Harvard Graduate School of Education
  Non-Presenting Author

• Alexandra Brentani, University of São Paulo
  Non-Presenting Author

• Sandra Grisi, University of São Paulo
  Non-Presenting Author

• Gunther Fink, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute
  Non-Presenting Author