The Longitudinal Effects of Young Children’s Home Environment Stimuli on Social Competence: The Mediating Effects of Linguistic and Cognitive Development
AUTHOR : 홍예지,강수정,이강이,최나야
INFORMATION : page. 161~178 / 2017 Vol.24 No.4
ABSTRACT
The study examined the longitudinal effects of home environment stimuli on the linguistic and cognitive
development and social competence of young children. The study used data from 951 young children from
the 5th, 6th, and 7th wave of the Panel Study of Korean Children (PSKC). Data were analyzed by means
of descriptive statistics, Cronbach alpha and correlation; the hypothesized model was verified using
structural equation modeling analysis. The results can be summarized as follows. Firstly, home environment
stimuli at 4-years-old significantly predicted better linguistic and cognitive development at 5-years-old when
the effects of parents’ educational attainment levels on home environment stimuli were controlled.
Secondly, there was a significant influence of high levels of linguistic and cognitive development at
5-years-old on positive social competence of 6-year-olds. Lastly, the linguistic and cognitive development at
5-years-old had a significant mediating effect in the relationship between home environment stimuli at
4-years-old and social competence at 6-years-old. The results of this study highlighted the importance of
timely linguistic and cognitive development as a mediating factor in the connection between home
environment stimuli and the level of social interactive skills. Other related implications of these findings
and suggestions for future research are also discussed.