Stephen L. Rock

Home environment and cognitive development in the first 3 years of life: A collaborative study involving six sites and three ethnic groups in North America.

Attempted to examine the generalizability of environment/development relationships among 3 ethnic groups across the first 3 years of life. Social status did not show a consistent relationship to either quality of home environment or childrens developmental status across the various groups. Results indicated a fairly consistent relationship between HOME scores and childrens developmental status, although there were some ethnic and social status differences in the relationship. Measures of specific aspects of the childs home environment, such as parental responsivity and availability of stimulating play materials, were more strongly related to child developmental status than global measures of environmental quality such as SES. When the childs early developmental status and early home environment were both very low, the likelihood of poor developmental outcomes was markedly increased compared with cases when only one was low.

Home Environment and School Performance: A Ten-Year Follow-up and Examination of Three Models of Environmental Action.

The home environments of 42 10- and 11-year-old children were examined when they were infants and again during middle childhood. Significant correlations were observed between home environments measured at both 2 years and 10 years and the childrens SRA achievement test scores and their classroom behavior. However, the home environment at 6 months was only related to a limited number of classroom behaviors. Partial correlations were used to test 3 models of environmental action: Model I (primacy of early experience), Model II (predominance of the contemporary environment), Model III (cumulative effects in stable environments). Strongest relations were noted for the contemporary environment, but all 3 models received some support. Correlations between HOME scores and childrens competence in middle childhood revealed a complex portrait that was not explainable with reference to a single model of environmental action. The version of the HOME Inventory used with families of elementary school children is also introduced.

Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment: Development of a Home Inventory for Use with Families Having Children 6 to 10 Years Old

Abstract This study describes the development of a new version of the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) Inventory for families with children ages 6 to 10. The new Elementary version of the HOME is similar to earlier versions of the HOME and measures aspects of the quantity and quality of social, emotional, and cognitive support made available to the child in the home environment. The item analyses for Elementary HOME indicated that internal consistency ranged from reasonably high levels for the longer subscales to modest levels for the shorter subscales. Correlation analyses showed low to moderate correlations between the HOME and family demographic variables and low to moderate correlations between the HOME and measures of childrens academic achievement and classroom behavior. Overall, the data indicated that the Elementary HOME may be a useful method of screening the developmental environments of elementary age children.

The Early Development of Low-Birthweight Infants: Relationship to Health, Family Status, Family Context, Family Processes, and Parenting

This study examines the early development of low birthweight infants and its relationship to five categories of medical and environmental variables: (1) health; (2) family status; (3) family context; (4) family process; and (5) parenting. Results showed that scores on the Bayley Mental Development Index. (MDI) at 18 months were related to all five categories of variables. However, most correlations were only moderate in strength (0.3 to 0.5) and four of the. five categories could be represented by only a single variable within the category. Multiple regression analyses indicated that family context and family process variables were not as highly related to MDI as family status, medical problems, and parenting were. The most efficient prediction of MDI was obtained using a combination of two HOME subscales, variety of stimulation and organisation of the environment, plus the 5-minute APGAR (R = 0.59).

Dimensions of parenting in families having children with disabilities

Abstract In this study, we examined relationships between parenting, severity of disability, and five aspects of family ecology for 83 preschool and 69 elementary school children with disabilities. Family ecology variables included socioeconomic status, coping styles, social support, stressful life events, and marital quality. We noted significant positive correlations between parenting (as measured by the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment [HOME] inventory) and both marital quality and social support (especially perceived helpfulness, instrumental support from father, involvement in social groups, and emotional support network). We noted significant negative correlations between parenting and stressful events. The relationship between coping styles and parenting was mixed, but negative coping styles were negatively correlated with parenting. Partial correlations, controlling for socioeconomic status (SES), resulted in a diminishment of some correlations, especially those for social suppo...

The HOME Inventory

The United States Commission on Excellence in Education recently reiterated concerns about the high percentage of school-age children who demonstrate poor academic performance and who show adjustment problems in school. Underachievement, classroom behavior problems, and other indicators of school failures have been of major concern to federal policymakers for quite some time.

Behavioral competence of maltreated children in child care

The behavioral competence of 39 preschool age maltreated children from 13 child care facilities was examined to determine the extent to which the childrens behavioral development was related to the quality of child care service. Maltreated children assigned to three different types of child care facilities were observed: specialized day care programs, regular day care centers, and family day homes. Ratings of the quality of care received in child care were significantly correlated with the childrens social competence in child care. Aspects of social behavior in maltreated children were related to the organization of the program, the physical facilities, traits of the caregiver, and caregiver expectations for the children.

Experiences in Day Care and Social Competence among Maltreated Children.

The experience of 39 preschool-age maltreated children from 13 child care facilities was examined to determine the extent to which the childrens social development was related to the quality of day-care service. Maltreated children assigned by the Arkansas Department of Social Services to three different types of child care facilities were observed: specialized day-care programs, regular day-care centers and family day homes. The children scored below average in intelligence and were rated by their parents as displaying higher than normal rates of disturbed behavior. While no comparison group of non-maltreated children was included in the study, observations of the maltreated children in the child care setting revealed substantially more positive than negative social behavior. The children were reasonably effective in interacting with adult caregivers in day care. The maltreated children were also productive in most encounters with peers. Ratings of the quality of care received in day care were significantly correlated with the childrens social competence in child care. Aspects of social behavior in maltreated children were related to the organization of the program, the physical facilities, traits of the caregiver, and caregiver expectations for the children.