Abstract
The home environment is one of the most proximal and impactful settings
for young children. Little research has examined the nature of
variability in the home environment for children from low-income homes,
even as more recent work suggests heterogeneity within economically
disadvantaged households. Using a subsample from a larger, longitudinal
study, we examined the extent to which differential profiles of the home
environment of infants from low-income backgrounds could be identified.
A latent profile analysis (LPA) suggested three profiles of the home
environment: low home environment, average home environment, and high
involvement. These three groups did not differ on family characteristics
such as parental education, income, or marital status but did differ
with respect to maternal stress and material support. Specifically,
maternal stress and material support were lower in the group with high
involvement.