Language Development of Rural and Urban Toddlers: Influence of Parenting, Home Environment and Demographic Factors
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Date
2017-06
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University of Agricultural Science, Dharwad
Abstract
Language development of rural and urban toddlers and the influence of parenting, home environment and demographic factors were studied on a sample of 240 mother-infant dyads (9 to 30 months) drawn from rural area of Gadag, Bijapur and Bagalkot districts of northern Karnataka and urban from Dharwad city during 2015-2016. Differential design and correlation design was employed. The language sub- scale of Bayley’s scale of infant and toddler development was administered to infants. Parenting, home environment, socio-economic status was assessed by standard measures.
There was highly significant difference between rural and urban toddlers on language development indices with a difference of 4 – 6 scores. Rural infants were in high proportion in delayed level (75.80 %) than urban (34.20 %) while on average (54.20 %) and advanced level (11.70 %) urban toddlers were in higher proportions than rural (21.70 %, 2.50 %). Toddlers’ age, gender, ordinal position and nutritional status had significant influence on language development among both rural and urban area. Toddlers of 25-30 months had optimum development while it was delayed among 9-12 months old. Female toddlers and later born were better across all age groups with a difference of 15 to 18 indices. Type of family, father’s and mother’s education was significantly associated with language development of both urban and rural toddlers. Toddlers of joint families were significantly better. A higher percentage of parents among urban (80.00 %) had positive parenting than rural parents (20.00 %). Similarly, home environment of urban toddlers was significantly better than rural. Both parenting and home environment significantly influenced the language development.
There is a need to provide an intervention for parents to educate them regarding stimulation for toddlers language development, positive parenting as well as conducive home environment to promote early child language development.