2011 The Palm Beach County Family Study (Full Report)

etween mothers’ parenting scores and their average use of services or receipt of help with parentinginformation in years 2 through 5. Also similar to year 4, we found that black mothers, both foreign- andU.S.-born, were significantly more likely than foreign-born Hispanic mothers to have high parentingscores. Other variables significantly related to parenting scores included residence in the Glades, numberof children, poverty status, number of negative housing conditions, and the mother’s depression score inyear 1. Residence in the Glades and number of housing conditions increased the odds of having a highparenting score, while having an income-to-needs ratio below the poverty level and more childrendecreased the odds. 61Children’s DevelopmentAs discussed above, we asked mothers in the fifth-year interview whether their children had demonstrateda variety of behaviors typical of 4- and 5-year-olds in the areas of language and communication skills,social-emotional competencies, and emergent literacy/pre-academic skills. In this section, we focusspecifically on whether the child is speaking in long, complicated sentences, as well as the child’scommunication skills, 62 social-emotional skills, 63 use of books, 64 emergent literacy/pre-academic skills, 65and drawing/writing skills. 66 Similar to the analyses of maternal outcomes, we conducted logisticregression analyses for each developmental area, employing the average number of services used in years2 through 5 and receipt of help with parenting information at any time during years 2 through 5 as theprimary independent variables. In general, we measured the other explanatory variables at baseline. Theexceptions were child’s age and childcare arrangement (i.e., parent or relative, QIS Head Start orprekindergarten program, non-QIS Head Start or prekindergarten program, family childcare, or61 The result for number of negative housing conditions is counterintuitive and may be a consequence of the fact that povertystatus and number of negative housing conditions are highly correlated.62 Assessment of these skills was based on asking mothers how often the child is a good listener, speaks clearly so strangersunderstand, refers to him- or herself as “I,” uses appropriate social greetings, waits his or her turn to talk, and can say his or herfirst and last name.63 Assessment of these skills was based on questioning how often the child pays attention well, adjusts easily to new situations,or gets upset easily. For a full list of the items, see Table 17 in chapter 3.64 The child’s “score” in this area was based on the extent to which she or he looks at picture books on his or her own, points topictures while looking at books, pretends to read the words in books, reads the words in books, and can tell what is in a givenpicture when looking at a book.65 The child’s “score” in this area was based on the extent to which she or he recognizes and can say the names of colors andletters of the alphabet, as well as how high she or he can count.66 The child’s drawing/writing skills were determined through questions ascertaining whether the child scribbles or draws onpaper; draws pictures of people or objects; can say in words what she or he has drawn; tries to draw shapes, numbers, or letters;or is able to draw recognizable shapes or letters.Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago 112