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Home literacy environment profiles of children with language impairment: associations with caregiver‐ and child‐specific factors
Author(s) -
Tambyraja Sherine R.,
Schmitt Mary Beth,
Farquharson Kelly,
Justice Laura M.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
international journal of language and communication disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.101
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1460-6984
pISSN - 1368-2822
DOI - 10.1111/1460-6984.12269
Subject(s) - psychology , literacy , reading (process) , developmental psychology , family literacy , pedagogy , linguistics , philosophy
Background Numerous studies suggest a positive relationship between the home literacy environment (HLE) and children's language and literacy skills, yet very little research has focused on the HLE of children with language impairment (LI). Children with LI are at risk for reading difficulties; thus, understanding the nature and frequency of their home literacy interactions is warranted. Aims To identify unique HLE profiles within a large sample of children with LI, and to determine relevant caregiver‐ and child‐specific factors that predict children's profile membership. Methods & Procedures Participants were 195 kindergarten and first‐grade children with LI who were receiving school‐based language therapy. Caregivers completed a comprehensive questionnaire regarding their child's HLE, and the extent to which their child engaged in shared book reading, were taught about letters, initiated or asked to be read to, and chose to read independently. Caregivers also answered questions regarding the highest level of maternal education, caregiver history of reading difficulties, and caregiver reading habits. Children completed a language and literacy battery in the fall of their academic year. Outcomes & Results Latent profile analyses indicated a three‐profile solution, representing high, average and low frequency of the selected HLE indicators. Multinomial regression further revealed that caregivers’ own reading habits influenced children's profile membership, as did child age and language abilities. Conclusions & Implications These results highlight the considerable variability in the frequency of home literacy interactions of children with LI. Future work examining relations between familial reading practices and literacy outcomes for children with LI is warranted.