Testing a model of parent -child relationships, parent -child joint book reading, and children's emergent literacy skills
Abstract
The primary goal of this study was to examine how the quality of the parent-child relationship and parenting style are related to the quality and quantity of parent-child literacy interactions and children's early literacy development. Little is known about the indirect effects that the parent-child relationship may have on children's acquisition of early literacy skills. As such, this research was designed to uncover ways in which the parent-child relationship may mediate or moderate children's acquisition of such skills. It was hypothesized that the parent-child relationship may impact children's emergent literacy skills through other variables, such as the quality of the home environment or the quality of parent-child joint book reading. It was also hypothesized that the parent-child relationship may moderate the relation between parent-child literacy interactions and children's emergent literacy skills. The participants in this study were 54 mothers and their 3-year-old children (29 girls). Children were recruited from half-day early childhood education programs. Results indicate that neither the quality of mother-child joint book reading nor the home literacy environment mediates the relation between the parent-child relationship and children's emergent literacy skills. The results showed that the quality of the parent-child relationship, as represented by parenting style, significantly predicted children's emergent literacy development beyond the quality of mother-child joint book reading or the occurrence of home literacy activities. Findings also suggest that the relation between the quality of parent-child joint book reading and children's emergent literacy skills is moderated by the quality of the parent-child relationship. Similarly, the relation between the home literacy environment and children's emergent literacy skills was also moderated by the quality of the parent-child relationship.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Powell, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Preschool education|Language arts|Families & family life|Personal relationships|Sociology
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