The First Year: Profiling the Home Environment of Infants From Low-Income Homes

Abstract

The home environment (HE) is one of young children's most proximal and impactful settings. Little research has examined the nature of variability in the HE for children from low-income homes, even as more recent work suggests heterogeneity within economically disadvantaged households. Using a subsample from a larger, longitudinal study, we examined the extent to which differential profiles of the HE of infants from low-income backgrounds could be identified. A latent profile analysis (LPA) suggested three profiles of the HE: low responsivity, average HE, and high involvement. These three groups did not differ regarding family characteristics such as parental education, income, or marital status but did differ concerning maternal stress and material support. Specifically, maternal stress and material support were lower in the group with high involvement.