Although the developmental science field is becoming increasingly responsive to the changing demographics in the United States, much of the research to date on children’s early home environments has focused on white, middle-class families. Consequently, much less is known about the early home experiences of Latinx children, even though Latinxs constitute the largest racial/ethnic minority group of children. To address this critical gap, this report:
- Synthesizes existing research on the early home environments of Latinx children and their families to better understand the nature of their early home experiences and how these experiences are linked to children’s developmental trajectories.
- Provides an analytical review of this literature to highlight what is known and to identify gaps in research.
- Draws conclusions and implications for research, programs, and policies interested in serving Latinx children and their families.
The review of the research suggests that the evidence on how the early home experiences of Latinx children help them grow and develop is limited in scope and breadth and is largely not based on theoretically driven research. It is striking that most of this research has focused more on the adversities that Latinx families face, rather than on their strengths, that it confounds ethnicity and socioeconomic status (SES), and that it does not consider the heterogeneity of Latinos in the United States.
Population of focus: Latinx, and youth.
Links to resource:
- Read the full report on Early Home Environment of Latinx Children: A Research Synthesis.
- Learn more about the National Research Center on Hispanic Children and Families.
- Read the key findings on Early Home Environment of Latinx Children: A Research Synthesis.
- Learn more about the funding lost for Hispanic children and families in the 2020 census.
- Find more resources on Latinx population at the National Research Center on Hispanic Children and Families.
Date: 2019.