Adaptation and validation of the HOME-SF as a caregiver-report home environment measure for use in the Taiwan Birth Cohort Study (TBCS)

Abstract

This study aimed to develop a brief caregiver-report instrument for measuring the home environment of children aged three and under, as part of the Taiwan Birth Cohort Study (TBCS). Instrument development was conducted by translating and adapting the Home Observation for the Measurement of Environment Inventory-Short Form (HOME-SF) which comprises cognitive stimulation and emotional support components. Data were from the third wave of the Taiwan Birth Cohort Pilot Study (TBCS-P), consisting of 1630 children at three years of age. The resulting 12-item home environment measure has good validity as reflected by significant associations of the total and component scores with all measures of family characteristics and child competence. This TBCS home environment measure, adapted and validated from the HOME-SF, is short but proven to be robust. It is particularly useful for large-scale surveys to enhance future studies on the relationships between home environment and a wide range of child outcomes.