Validation of the StimQ2: A parent-report measure of cognitive stimulation in the home

Carolyn Brockmeyer Cates*, Erin Roby*, Caitlin F. Canfield, Matthew Johnson, Caroline Raak, Adriana Weisleder, Benard P. Dreyer, Alan L. Mendelsohn

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

13 Scopus citations

Abstract

Considerable evidence demonstrates the importance of the cognitive home environment in supporting children’s language, cognition, and school readiness more broadly. This is particularly important for children from low-income backgrounds, as cognitive stimulation is a key area of resilience that mediates the impact of poverty on child development. Researchers and clinicians have therefore highlighted the need to quantify cognitive stimulation; however existing methodological approaches frequently utilize home visits and/or labor-intensive observations and coding. Here, we examined the reliability and validity of the StimQ2, a parent-report measure of the cognitive home environment that can be delivered efficiently and at low cost. StimQ2 improves upon earlier versions of the instrument by removing outdated items, assessing additional domains of cognitive stimulation and providing new scoring systems. Findings suggest that the StimQ2 is a reliable and valid measure of the cognitive home environment for children from infancy through the preschool period.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article numbere0286708
JournalPloS one
Volume18
Issue number7 July
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2023

Funding

This research was supported by the National Institutes of Health (R01 HD047740 01- 09, Supplement 3R01HD047740-08S1) awarded to ALM. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. We would like to thank the many individuals who contributed to this project, including Jenny Arevalo, Samantha Berkule, Catherine Tamis-LeMonda, Lisa White, and Kristina Vlahovicova. We also thank all of the children and parents who participated in this research.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

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