Abstract
This study investigated parenting practices among families of preschoolers in a middle-income community, as well as the contributions of these practices to children's literacy and learning-related social skills. A total of 229 families of preschoolers were recruited. Parents completed a survey describing their parenting practices, while children's literacy skills were directly assessed by using standardized measures. Parents also reported on children's social development. Factor analyses supported a three-dimensional structure of parenting including the home learning environment, autonomy support/expectations, and management/discipline. Path models showed that the home learning environment predicted literacy skills; specifically, parents' teaching about letters and sounds was associated with alphabet knowledge, while shared book reading was marginally linked to vocabulary. Management/discipline was uniquely related to self-regulation, while cooperative/compliant skills were associated with the home learning environment, support/expectations, and management/discipline. Findings suggested that parenting could be conceptualized as three relatively independent dimensions, each of which demonstrated domain-specific contributions to early literacy and social skills.
Recommended Citation
Hindman, Annemarie H. and Morrison, Frederick J.
(2012)
"Differential Contributions of Three Parenting Dimensions to Preschool Literacy and Social Skills in a Middle-Income Sample,"
Merrill-Palmer Quarterly: Vol. 58:
Iss.
2, Article 4.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/mpq/vol58/iss2/4