Cumulative Sociodemographic Risk and Preschool Child Language: The Mediating Role of the Home Literacy Environment

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Référence

Laurent A, Letarte MJ, Lemelin JP. (2025). Cumulative Sociodemographic Risk and Preschool Child Language: The Mediating Role of the Home Literacy Environment. Early Education and Development.

Résumé

Research Findings: This longitudinal study examined the mediating role of home literacy environment (HLE) in the relationship between family sociodemographic risk factors and preschoolers’ language skills during their transition to kindergarten. A sample of 142 children showing vulnerability regarding school readiness were assessed three times. Eight months before kindergarten, family sociodemographic information was collected, and a cumulative family sociodemographic risk score was calculated. Children’s language skills (i.e. receptive and expressive vocabulary and sentence recall) were also collected at this timepoint. Four months later, three components of HLE (i.e. frequency of parents’ involvement in literacy activities, quality of parents’ involvement in literacy activities, and availability of learning materials at home) were measured. At the end of kindergarten, 1 year later, children’s language skills were reassessed. One main indirect association was found: cumulative risk was related to expressive vocabulary through the availability of learning materials. Practice or Policy: These findings highlight that interventions with parents of preschoolers showing vulnerability regarding school readiness should focus on supporting parental practices and helping parents gain access to learning materials through school, social services, and other community resources.

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