Measures of Socioeconomic Status in Child Development Research: Data and Recommendations.

Abstract

Information and data are provided that are important for developmental psy chologists in selecting an SES index. The issues addressed are (a) the use of Holl ingshead's SES indexes, (b) the interrelationships among contemporary SES in dexes, and (c) the relationships between these SES indexes and young children's development. There exists substantial overlap among the Revised Duncan So cioeconomic Index, the Siegel Prestige Scale, and the Hollingshead Four Factor Index of Social Status, with interchangeability possible but with qualification and constraint. These indexes reveal a highly similar pattern of correlations with de velopmental status of young children, with the Hollingshead consistently show ing the highest correlations. Because the Hollingshead Four Factor Index of So cial Status is suitable for estimating SES of unmarried individuals and heads of households of both genders as well as for families, it should be considered by developmental psychologists.