Program Outcomes for Parents & Families
Parents

Motivate

Measures

Name: Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (1967)
Author Bettye M. Caldwell and Robert H. Bradley
Abstract: The HOME Inventory is an observational and interview measure designed to assess the quality of a childís early developmental environment. Two inventories were originally developed, one to be administered in the homes of infant and/or toddlers (45 items) and one for the homes of preschoolers (55 items). Items cluster into 6 subscales for the former version: Acceptance of the Child, Learning Materials, Parental Involvement, Parental Responsibility, Variety in Experience, and Organization of the Environment. The preschool version has 8 subscales: Acceptance of the Child, Learning Materials, Parental Responsibility, Variety in Experience, Physical Environment, Language Stimulation, Learning Stimulation, and Modeling of Social Maturity. Items are scored according to a yes-no format. A total score is obtained by counting the number of items answered yes.
Technical Considerations: Two additional versions for older children are available as well. These are the 59-item Middle Childhood HOME (for 6-10 year olds) and the Early Adolescent HOME (for 10 to 15 year olds). The 8 subscales include Learning Materials, Parental Involvement, Parental Responsibility, Physical Environment, Active Stimulation, Emotional Climate, Encouraging Maturity, and Family Participation.
Psychometrics: Information on reliability has been collected from the use of this measure in many studies. Bradley (ìThe HOME Inventory: Review and reflections,î 1994, Advances in Child Development and Behavior, vol. 5) reports that, as a rule, internal consistency coefficients have been greater than .8 for the total scores. Subscale coefficients have ranged from .3 to .8. Inter-rater agreement levels have always been at least 85%.
Publisher: Caldwell, B.M, & Bradley, R.H., and staff (1967). Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment. Little Rock, AR: Center for Child Development and Education, University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
Availability: Center for Research on Teaching and Learning, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, 2801 S. University Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72204.


Name: Environmental Assessment Index (1987)
Author R. H. Poresky
Abstract: The Environmental Assessment Index was designed as a measure of the developmental and educational support provided to a child as a result of the quality of their physical and social home environments. The instrument is intended for use with families of children between 3 and 11 years old. The intent in developing the index was to provide a basis for predicting children's future cognitive and social development. The complete 44-item instrument is administered during a home visit. A 24-item short form is also available. Each item is scored according to a yes-no format. On the long form, 26 items are appropriate for scoring either as a result of responses to interview inquiries or through direct observation. The additional 18 items are always rated based on direct observation. A total score is obtained by counting the number of items answered yes. Home interviews from which scores are derived last approximately 60 minutes. This index is a revision of the STIM (Caldwell, 1967) and HOME (Bradley and Caldwell, 1976), which were developed for children under three years of age. The NC-124 Technical Committee assisted in the refinement of this instrument for assessing the quality of children's homes.
Technical Considerations: Poresky, R.H. (1987). Environmental assessment index: reliability, stability, and validity of the long and short forms. Educ Psyc M, 47, 969-975. Abstract from Touliatos, John, Handbook of family measurement techniques, p. 381, copyright 1990 by SAGE Publications, Inc.
Formats Available: Print
Availability: Please see Original Document Information


Name: Marjoribanks Family Learning Environment Schedule (1987)
Author Marjoribanks, K.
Abstract: This instrument is used during semistructured home interviews of parents. A total of 78 questions, many of which have sub sections, are asked of both parents. Questions are open-ended but generally only require only a few words or sentences to answer. Issues examined by this scale focus on family knowledge of and involvement in children's academic and independent development. The scale was originally developed for use by the author on Australian populations.
Technical Considerations: Marjoribanks, K. (1987). Ability and attitude correlates of academic achievement: family-group differences. J Educ Psyc, 78, 171-178. Abstract from Touliatos, John, Handbook of general family measurement techniques, p. 373, copyright 1990 by SAGE Publications, Inc.
Format Available: Print
Availability: Please see Original Document Information


Name: Home Quality Rating Scale (1977)
Author Nihira, Kazuo; And Others
Abstract: This instrument was developed to record characteristics of the parents and home environment that relate to the development of mentally retarded children. Factors identified include: loving acceptance vs. disregard; firmness of control vs. laissez-faire; involvement with growth-promoting activities vs. noninvolvement. Parents' positions on these variables are said to depict neglect, overprotection, rejection, cruelty, responsibility, and other factors.
Technical Considerations: 50 items
Format Available: Print and Microfiche
Availability: Tests in Microfiche; Test Collection, Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ 08541 (Nihira, K. and Others. (1977). Home quality rating scale. Princeton, NJ)
Further Information: Distributed by Tests in Microfiche; Test Collection, Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ 08541


Name: Hopkins Surveys of School and Family Connections (1982)
Author: Epstein, J.L., & Becker, H.J.
Publisher: Center for Research on Elementary & Middle Schools, John Hopkins University, 3505 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218
Abstract: The Hopkins Surveys of School and Family Connections is a set of four instruments assessing various aspects of the parent-teacher relationship. The four surveys are designed to be used concomitantly in the development of an overall picture of parental and teacher attitudes and action toward both each other and the educational process. Form 1-T, Survey of Teachers, was developed in 1980 to assess the nature and extent of teachers' contact with parents, topics teachers discuss with parents, the use of 14 techniques for involving parents in learning activities at home, estimates of parents' effectiveness, and teachers' attitudes about parent involvement. It covers 36 questions, over 150 items of information, and 13 pages. Form 2-T is a 1987 revision of The Survey of Teachers. This form includes items on teacher attitudes regarding parent involvement, communication with families, use of parent-volunteers, effectiveness of parent involvement program, and parental educational responsibilities. It includes 10 questions, over 100 items of information and six pages. Form 1-P (1981) and 2-P (1987) parallel the teacher forms in areas of inquiry, but are geared toward an examination of parental perceptions of their involvement in the education of their children. Primary areas of concern examined in the parent forms include school support for parental involvement, quality of homework assignments, ratings of teacher skills, and overall effectiveness of the educational system. Form 1-P included 33 questions, and over 70 items of information. Form 2-P includes 6 questions, over 50 items of information, and five pages. The complete group of surveys include hundreds of items, written in various formats and from differing perspectives. The questionnaires can be used in full, in part, or adapted for use as research instruments or as tools for self-assessments by schools. Administration time is approximately 15-40 minutes.
Further Information: Becker, H.J., & Epstein, J.L. (1982). Parent involvement: A survey of teacher practices. Elem Sch J, 83, 85-102. Epstein, J.L. (1985a). Parents' reactions to teacher practices of parent involvement. Elem Sch J, 86, 277-294. Epstein, J.L. (1985b). A question of merit: Principals' and parents' evaluations of teachers. Educ Res, 14, 3-10. Epstein, J.L. (in press). Effects on students achievement of teachers' practices of parent involvement. In S. Silvern (Ed.), Literacy through family, community, and school interaction. Greenwich, CT: JAI. Abstract from Touliatos, J., Handbook of General Family Measurement Techniques, p. 347, copyright 1990 by SAGE Publications, Inc.
Formats Available: Print
Availability: Please see Original Document Information


Name: High/Scope Knowledge Scale (1980)
Author Epstein, A.S.
Abstract: The Knowledge Scale uses a card-sorting technique to assess expectations about children's early development. Respondents sort a series of statements describing the needs and abilities of infants and toddlers according to the age category they think each behavior would first appear. Sorting categories are as follows: Birth to 1 month, 1 to 4 months, 4 to 8 months, 8 to 12 months, 12 to 18 months, and 18 to 24 months or older. The instrument can be administered orally, with the interviewer reading each statement from a card and asking the respondent to sort the cards into piles by age. Alternatively, respondents can read and sort the cards themselves. Interviewers than circle the respondent's choices on a score sheet. The scale asks 73 items and takes approximately 20-30 minutes to administer. Scores indicate correct, early, and late expectations for the instrument as a whole. In addition, scores can be computed fro three subscales: basic care; physical, perceptual, and motor development: and cognitive, language, and social development.
Distributed By: NAPS-3
Original Document Information: Epstein, A.S. (1980). Assessing the child development information needed by adolescent parents with very young children (Final report, Grant No. 90-C-1341, U.S. Dept. HHS) Ypsilanti, MI: High/Scope. Abstract from Touliatos, J., Handbook of General Family Measurement Techniques, pp. 344- 345, copyright 1990 by SAGE Publications, Inc.
Format Available: Print
Availability: Please see Original Document Information



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