Abstract
Previous literature has shown that family structure affects language development. Here, factors relating to older siblings (their presence in the house, sex, and age gap), mothers (maternal stress), and household size and residential crowding were assessed to systematically examine the different roles of these factors. Data from mother–child dyads in a Singaporean birth cohort, (677–855 dyads; 52% males; 58% to 61% Chinese, 20% to 24% Malay, 17% to 19% Indian) collected when children were 24, 48, and 54 months old, were analyzed. There was a negative effect of having an older sibling, moderated by the siblings’ age gap, but not by the older sibling’s sex, nor household size or residential crowding. Maternal stress affected language outcomes in some analyses but not others. Implications for understanding the possible effects of family structure on language development are discussed.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 2096-2113 |
Number of pages | 18 |
Journal | Developmental Psychology |
Volume | 58 |
Issue number | 11 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 11 Aug 2022 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2022 American Psychological Association
Keywords
- Cognitive development
- Household size
- Language development
- Maternal stress
- Older siblings
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Demography
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
- Life-span and Life-course Studies