The Factor Structure of Parents' Math-Related Talk and Its Relation to Children's Early Academic Skills

Abstract

This study, involving 120 children (M_age = 4.25; SD = 0.83; 53% Female, 49% White, 23% multiracial, 16% Black, 9% Asian American, and 3% Latine) and their parents, examined parent talk constructs and their relation to children's early academic skills in 2021. Parents' talk was best represented as a three-factor structure (general, number, and mathematical language), suggesting that mathematical language use is distinct from general and number talk. Parent talk factors were related to children's numeracy skills but not their vocabulary or mathematical language knowledge. Children with higher numeracy skills had parents who used more general talk, children with lower numeracy skills had parents who used more mathematical language, but parent number talk was not related to children's numeracy skills.