Placing a Lens on the HOME Environment of Low and Higher SES Toddlers: How Do Environments Differ?

Background: Multiple adverse environmental factors, among them home environments with limited resources, are associated with detrimental effects on developmental outcome of low SES children. Enhanced understanding of differences between home environments of low and higher SES infants can provide opportunities to improve child outcome. Objective: To examine differences between home environment of toddlers of Low and Higher SES. Study Design: Healthy African American female infants enrolled at birth, 30 of Low SES (below poverty line, both parents with no more than high school education) and 30 of Higher SES (above poverty line and both parents with at least high school education). In-home visits, conducted at 12 and 24 months of age, utilized the Home Observation Measurement of the Environment (HOME). The HOME is comprised of 6 subscales and a Total Score. Results: 28 Low and 27 Higher SES toddlers were assessed at 12 months; 23 Low and 21 Higher SES at 24 months. Total HOME scores were lower for Low SES toddlers at both 12 and 24 months when compared with Higher SES toddlers. At 12 months, Low SES toddlers' scores were lower on 4 HOME subscales: Organization of Physical and Temporal Environment, Provision of Appropriate Play Materials, Parental Involvement with Child, and Opportunities for Variety in Daily Stimulation (p≤0.018). At 24 months Low SES toddlers' scores were lower on 3 of the HOME subscales: Acceptance of Child's Behavior, Organization of Physical and Temporal Environment, and Provision of Appropriate Play Materials (p≤0.022). Notably, at both time points low SES toddlers' scores were lower on two subtests: Organization of the Temporal and Physical Environment and Provision of Appropriate Play Materials (p≤0.007). Conclusions: 1) HOME environment of Low SES toddlers is consistently less enriching than for Higher SES toddlers, specifically in Organization of the Physical and Temporal Environment and Provision of Appropriate Play Materials. 2) Interventions to address these conditions involve not only parental education but likely financial support as well. Given the young ages at which differences were determined, we suggest interventions cannot begin too soon.