Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Date

2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Educational Psychology & Research

Committee Chair

Denise Winsor

Committee Member

Christian Muller

Committee Member

Leigh Harrell-Williams

Abstract

Children from low-income families often begin school behind their more affluent peers, showing delays in cognitive, social-emotional, and academic skills. This study examined how variations in the home literacy environment (HLE) and executive function (EF) contributed to school readiness gaps among children facing multiple risk factors. The purpose was to understand whether the HLE supported children’s EF skills, how cumulative family risk shaped these associations, and whether EF was a pathway linking the HLE to school readiness outcomes. Data were drawn from the 2019 Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES 2019), using a nationally representative sample of 1,482 preschoolers assessed in fall 2019. The HLE was measured through parent reports of reading frequency, early literacy activities, and book access. EF was assessed using a standardized task. School readiness was evaluated through direct assessments of early literacy and math, plus teacher ratings of learning behaviors and social-emotional development. Cumulative risk was indexed by family structure, maternal education, and poverty status. Findings from Structural Equation Modeling showed that the HLE significantly predicted children’s EF skills, and cumulative risk moderated this relationship, with higher-risk children benefiting less from literacy-rich environments. EF, in turn, predicted multiple school readiness outcomes and mediated the relationship between the HLE and school readiness. These results underscore the importance of supporting consistent, developmentally appropriate literacy practices at home to promote school readiness in high-risk populations.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.”

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to ProQuest.

Notes

Open Access

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