Journal Article

Socio-economic status and other potential risk factors for language development in the first year of life

DIRKS, Evelien, VAN BAKEL, Hedwig H. J. A., DER NEDERLANDEN, Sarah J., SCHAEFFER, Jeannette C.

2025

Overview

A wide variety of language skills has been shown to be compromised in children from low socioeconomic status (SES). However, few studies have investigated the effect of SES on language development in infants. The aim of this study is two-fold: to investigate when the first SES-effects on language can be observed and to explore the effects of three variables often claimed to be linked to SES – gestational duration, stress and parent-child interaction – on language development. Parents/caregivers of 539 Dutch-acquiring infants aged 8-13 months from mid to high SES backgrounds completed a questionnaire including the LENA Developmental Snapshot (Gilkerson et al., 2017a) and the Brigance Parent-Child Interaction Scale (Glascoe & Brigance, 2002). No association was found between SES and language development. However, the results suggest that corrected age and parent-child interaction positively influence language development at this early age.

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Subject: Academic Achievement / Age / Caregivers / Child development / Children / Cognitive Development / Economic development / Economic factors / Economic status / Education / Educational Resources / Evidence / Expressive Language / Families & family life / Family Environment / Family Income / First year / Home environment / Infants / Language / Language acquisition / Language Aptitude / Language proficiency / Language Skills / Language varieties / Linguistic Performance / Low income groups / Mothers / Native Language / Native language acquisition / Native languages / Parent Child Relationship / Parent educational background / Parent-child relations / Parents & parenting / Phonemes / Phonetics / Phonological Awareness / Phonology / Pregnancy / Reading Instruction / Reading Skills / Risk factors / Socioeconomic factors / Socioeconomic status / Vocabulary development / Young Children