Over the last 20 years, ecological and general systems theories of human development have become predominant. These models present development as dynamic interplay between person and environment. Because experience plays a central role in development, it is important to researchers and professionals (psychologists, educators, social workers, nurses, etc.) to have useful, comprehensive measures of the family environment. Useful measures exist for children from infancy to middle childhood. However, thee are few comprehensive measures for children form middle childhood through adolescence; and there is limited information on relationships between the quality of the home environment and behavioural development beyond age 11. It is difficult to conduct studies spanning infancy through adolescence due to the absence of consistent methodologies for assessing the home improvement. The proposed project has two integrated aims: 1) to refine, norm, an validate a new version if the HOME Inventory, one designed for children 20-14 years old, the Early Adolescent (EA-HOME) HOME: and 2) to examine patterns of parenting, as represented by scores on EA-HOME, in families and their relation to both family ecological factors and children's development. Basic psychometric information will be developed for the new EA-HOME using Angel-American, African-American, Asian-American and Hispanic-American children gathered in four locales: Little Rock, San Antonio, Los Angeles, New York. Three consultants experienced in gathering data on minority families will be employed to help secure appropriate participants and to assist with instrument refinement and data interpretation. Standard items analysis, plus factor analysis will be used in the scale development process. Correlational techniques (including multiple regression and partial least squared) will be used to examine the relationships between EA-HOME, other measures of the family ecology, and children's development. A manual presenting procedures for administering and scoring EA-HOME, plus psychometric data, will also be prepared.
| Bradley, R H; Corwyn, R F (2000) Moderating effect of perceived amount of family conflict on the relation between home environmental processes and the well-being of adolescents. J Fam Psychol 14:349-64 |
