Early home learning environment profiles and their contribution to child development in Chile

Abstract

The home learning environment (HLE) is a significant factor in children's development. This study uses the Chilean Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey of children 6 months to 5 years old (n = 12,898) to address the role of the home learning environment. Factor scores from factor analysis were used in latent profile analysis to identify HLE profiles and predict children's general development, language and socio-emotional outcomes. Four home learning environment profiles were revealed: a low-interaction and low-resources group (Inattentive), a high-interaction and high-resources group (Nurturing), an average-interaction but low-resources group (Warm), and a low-interaction and high-resources group (Instructional). Very high and very low profiles yielded different child development results, but in mixed profiles, vulnerabilities in one dimension seemed to be compensated by strengths in another. Controlling for pretest scores and demographics, the profiles predicted a small portion of variance in children's development skills two years later.