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Early Home Activities and Oral Language Skills in Middle Childhood: A Quantile Analysis
Author(s) -
Law James,
Rush Robert,
King Tom,
Westrupp Elizabeth,
Reilly Sheena
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
child development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.103
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1467-8624
pISSN - 0009-3920
DOI - 10.1111/cdev.12727
Subject(s) - quantile regression , ordinary least squares , millennium cohort study (united states) , psychology , language development , covariate , psychological intervention , quantile , developmental psychology , poverty , early childhood , child development , outcome (game theory) , statistics , econometrics , cohort study , mathematics , economics , mathematical economics , psychiatry , economic growth
Oral language development is a key outcome of elementary school, and it is important to identify factors that predict it most effectively. Commonly researchers use ordinary least squares regression with conclusions restricted to average performance conditional on relevant covariates. Quantile regression offers a more sophisticated alternative. Using data of 17,687 children from the United Kingdom's Millennium Cohort Study, we compared ordinary least squares and quantile models with language development (verbal similarities) at 11 years as the outcome. Gender had more of an effect at the top of the distribution, whereas poverty, early language, and reading to the child had a greater effect at the bottom. The picture for TV watching was more mixed. The results are discussed in terms of the provision of universal and targeted interventions.