Work

The Effects of Toys Related to Literacy and Parent-child Relational Factors on Language Abilities According to Socioeconomic Status

Year: 2010

Type: article

Abstract: The present study sought to examine parent-child relational factors associated with young child's language abilities according to socioeconomic status. To do so, the survey responses of 2,269 parents of 0- to 5- year-olds, taken from research on the Actual Condition of Korean Children and Youth were analyzed. The results were as follows : (1) Low-income families had significantly fewer toys related to literacy than middle and upper-income families. (2) There were fewer instances of parent-child play interactions as well as lower scores of parenting styles and beliefs in low-income families than in middle and upper-income families. (3) Although there was no difference in terms of language abilities from 0- to 1-year-old children according to socioeconomic status, 2-, 3-, 4- and 5-year-old children from low-income families exhibited significantly lower language scores than children from middle- and upper-income families. (4) Toys related to literacy and parent-child relational factors were positively related to children's language abilities. (5) It can be further argued that toys related to literacy and parent-child relational factors clearly predict children's language abilities.

Source: Korean Journal of Child Studies