Running head: HOME ASSESSMENT 1

W04 Assignment:

HOME Infant/Toddler Assessment

Part 3: Written Analysis

Annalise Garcia

Brigham Young University-Idaho

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W04 Assignment: HOME Infant/Toddler Assessment

Part 3: Written Analysis

1. Description and Validation of the Instrument

The Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) is an instrument

that can be used to assess the kind of environment in which a child is being raised. The goal of it

is to be able to measure “within a naturalistic context, the quality and quantity of stimulation and

support available to a child in the home environment” (Totsika & Sylva, 2004). The HOME has

been used to benefit the development of infants by showing researchers and parents which areas

of the home environment can be improved to provide a more enriching atmosphere for the child.

Past research has shown us some of the outcomes associated with HOME scores. For example,

the assessment has been used in clinical practice to help ensure children with medical problems

get the help that they need to ensure good cognitive development over time (Totsika & Sylva,

2004). The use of HOME scores can also help in instances of poverty. Children living in poverty

can differ from children not living in poverty in the following areas: parental warmth, learning

environment, emotional support, intellectual stimulation, physical environment, etc. (Totsika &

Sylva, 2004). An analysis of HOME scores can show us how poverty is or is not affecting

children in those areas. From there, we can target our interventions to help in those specific areas

to help the child develop as they should in spite of the circumstances.

2. Administration of the Instrument

For this assignment, I used the “Infant/Toddler HOME Assessment” and “Home Visit”

videos to observe a child and an interview with the parent. The child was a male and his name

was Jace. He was born on October 26, 2016, so he was about five months old at the time of the

video. He is an only child, and he lives with his mother, Melissa, and his father. They reside in
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Idaho, and although it was hard to tell the type of housing they occupy, they do have their own

space.

The environment appeared to be quite safe for his age. There was no furniture with sharp

edges at his level, no choking hazards, and no dangling cords or anything like that. The only

things I noticed that may be a hazard as he begins crawling are uncovered outlets and the stairs (I

was unable to see if they had a gate or not). The house was very clean and well-kept, and just

about the only things within his reach were baskets of age-appropriate books and toys. These

baskets were placed at various locations around the house. Of course, as he gets older, they will

need to change and update things to keep him safe. But for his age now, the home appeared very

safe, clean, and enriching.

The father was not home for the interview, but the mother and infant seemed quite

comfortable with the interviewer’s presence. Melissa was easy going and shared a lot in response

to the questions and the baby was not very fussy throughout. Jace remained in her lap calmly for

the duration of the interview. The entire assessment (interview and house assessment videos

combined) took about twenty minutes.

3. Summary and Analysis of the Data

Responsivity

The parent showed high responsivity to the child. Throughout the interview, she

vocalized to the child and responded well to the child’s vocalizations. She conversed freely and

easily with the interviewer and showed positive feelings towards the child both in words and in

body language. The actual score given for responsivity was 10 (with a possible score of 11). This

is one above the median score, nine. The parent did not tell the infant the name of a person or

object during the observation. The strength of the child’s environment is the high levels of
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responsivity. His parents are open and pay attention to him. I could not see any apparent

weaknesses. Even though the mother did not name any objects or people during the observation,

I imagine she does at other times.

One of the best things I observed in the interview was the way the mother spoke paid

attention to her child. She seems to have a natural way of responding to the child and being

attentive to his needs. Nevertheless, I would recommend attending a parenting class or receiving

some kind of periodic education to help her understand the needs of her child and how to best

respond to them. Parent skills training can provide knowledge and skills, give individualized

help, combat false confidence and boost genuine confidence, and ultimately increase parental

responsivity (DiCarlo, et al., 2014).

Acceptance

The parent also demonstrated high acceptance towards the child. While they do not have

any pets that the child can play and interact with, there were many books visible, several of

which were easily accessible to the child. They do not shout at, scold, criticize, or physically

punish the child in any way. The parent did not demonstrate any hostility or annoyance with the

child during the interview. The score for this section was seven. (The median score is six and the

possible score is eight.) The strength of the environment in terms of acceptance is that the parent

demonstrated love, kindness, and gentleness in all her dealings with the infant. The home seemed

to be full of love and open communication. There were no apparent weaknesses in this category.

Overall the child’s environment seemed very accepting. The infant appears to have access to

many books and toys and is not treated harshly. I would recommend, if possible, getting a pet

that the child can interact with. Animals may be a lot of work, but they can also be extremely

beneficial to humans, especially children. For example, one study found that the presence of a
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pet dog greatly “buffered children’s rise in perceived stress compared to children” who were

alone or with a parent during the study (Kertes, et al., 2017).

Organization

The child is almost always cared for by his mother and father, so childcare is very

consistent. While the infant is not taken to the grocery store weekly, he is taken on regular

outings several times a week. He is taken to medical check-ups regularly. He has special places

for his books and toys and the parents maintain a very safe and clean environment. They scored a

five for organization, out of a possible six. Their score is the same as the median score for the

larger population. The strength I saw with this category is the consistency that the parents

provided for the child. He had a regular daily routine and was cared for by the same people. The

only weakness I saw was that the infant was not taken to the grocery store regularly. But I

imagine this will happen more as he gets older, and there is a good chance he is exposed to other

stimulating environments similar to this.

It sounds like the child is very well taken care of and has a fairly set routine. I would

recommend establishing a set bedtime routine with the infant if they haven’t already. Research

shows that children who have a regular bedtime routine and consistent parenting experience an

increase in sleep consolidation (Staples, Bates & Petersen, 2015). In other words, they take less

naps during the day and sleep longer at night. This can help develop a more regular sleeping

pattern.

Learning Materials

The child had access to a variety of learning materials. He had muscle activity, hand-eye

coordination, and cuddle toys. He also had other kinds of toys, activities, books, and learning

facilitators (such as his Bumbo chair). The score for this section was seven. The median was also
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seven, out of a possible nine. The strength I saw for this section was the variety of learning

materials available to the child. One weakness is the lack of push/pull toys and complex hand-

eye coordination toys available to the child. I believe this is due to the child’s age, however, and

I am sure these things will be provided as he grows older.

I would recommend that the parents continue to make a variety of age-appropriate

learning materials available to the child. I especially recommend exposing him to books, both by

letting him experience them on his own and by reading aloud to him. Reading aloud to infants

can improve interactions and relationships between the child and the caregiver, and can benefit

the infant’s language development (Holland, 2007).

Involvement

From the interview and observation, it was evident that the parent kept the child involved

throughout the day. She talks to him while doing housework, keeps the child in visual range, and

looks at him often. She also pays attention to what he is doing and helps him switch activities or

change environments when he is bored or fussy. The involvement score was six out of six. This

is two above the median score of four. The strengths of the environment in this section are the

consistent and regular interactions the parents have with the child. They stay close to him, talk to

him, narrate their activities and actions, and pay close attention to him. I did not notice any

apparent weaknesses.

The parents’ attentiveness and responsivity to the child will hopefully help to develop a

secure attachment in the infant. I would recommend doing things to foster this secure attachment.

This can be done by responding when the child cries out, meeting his needs, and providing love,

comfort, and attention. Research shows us that children who are securely attached “feel more

comfortable exploring their thoughts and feelings about their emotional past due to their history
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with an emotionally available and supportive parent” (Hsiao, et al., 2015). It is my hope that as

they strive to develop and maintain this attachment, the child will be able to have open

communication and emotional dialogue with them both.

Variety

Both father and mother provide daily care. The family eats together daily, and the parents

read to the infant a few times each week. They have regular contact with relatives, and the child

has books of his own. For variety, they scored five out of five. This is two points above the

median for this category. One of the strengths for this category is the presence of consistent care

with few variables. For example, both mom and dad provide care (variety) but the infant is never

watched by a childcare provider (consistency). I did not notice any obvious weaknesses. I think

that the parents provide appropriate routines for the child while still giving him variety.

I would recommend that the parents continue to have meals together daily and read

together regularly. As the child grows older and as the family dynamic and structure changes

(such as with the addition of other children), their time and activities together can and should

change too. Ultimately, “[h]igh quality family relationships are associated with adolescent well-

being” (Meier & Musick, 2014). I believe it is important for them to build the foundation of that

relationship as early as they can.

4. Limitations of the Instrument

One influence that was not measured by the HOME assessment is the physical outdoor

environment and how that interacts with the house. For example, if a child is raised in an area

with a lot of sun and a home with lots of windows to allow that sun inside, it could be very

beneficial for the child’s mental health and wellness. The assessment also does not take into
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account the presence of other children in the family. This is a big factor to overlook because

siblings can greatly influence each other’s development (Siegler, et al., 2002).

 
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References

Holland, Jeanne. (2008). Reading Aloud with Infants: The Controversy, the Myth, and a Case

Study. Early Childhood Education Journal, 35(4), 383-385.

Meier, Ann & Musick, Kelly. (2014). Variation in Associations Between Family Dinners and

Adolescent Well-Being. Journal of Marriage & Family, 76(1), 13-23.

Totsika, Vasiliki & Sylva, Kathy. (2004). The Home Observation for Measurement of the

Environment Revisited. Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 9(1), 25-35.

Vasiliki Totsika & Kathy Sylva

Siegler, Robert, Eisenberg, Nancy, Gershoff, Elizabeth, Saffran, Jenny R., DeLoache, Judy,

Leaper, Campbell. (2002). How Children Develop. New York, NY: Worth Publishers.

Hsiaoa, Celia, Koren-Karieb, Nina, Baileyc, Heidi, Morand, Greg. (2015). It takes two to talk:

Longitudinal associations among infant–mother attachment, maternal attachment

representations, and mother–child emotion dialogues. Attachment & Human

Development, 17(1), 43-64.

Staples, Angela D., Bates, John E., Petersen, Isaac T. (2015). Bedtime routines in early

childhood: prevalence, consistency, and associations with nighttime sleep. Monographs

of the Society for Research in Child Development, 80(1), 141-159.

DiCarlo, Cynthia F., Onwujuba, Chinwe, Baumgartner, Jennifer I. (2013). Infant Communicative

Behaviors and Maternal Responsiveness. Springer Science + Business, (43), 195-209.

Kertes, Darlene A., Liu, Jingwen, Hall, Nathan J., Hadad, Natalie A., Wynne, Clive D. L., Bhatt,

Samarth S. (2017). Effect of Pet Dogs on Children’s Perceived Stress and Cortisol Stress

Response. Social Development, 26(2), 382-401.

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Appendix
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