Home environment and its contribution to early childhood regulatory capabilities

Abstract

This research aims to address the contribution of the immediate contexts of the home in the development of regulatory skills, specifically executive functions and emotional regulation abilities in a Latin American context using direct behavioural measures. The sample consisted of 75 mother-infant dyads of 18?24 months belonging to homes and daycare centers of Buenos Aires. The instruments used were the SES scale home stimulation subscale, a battery of executive tasks, and the Still-Face task. Results found that overcrowding, cell phone, and internet negatively contribute to regulation behaviours, while the number of books and frequency of lecture contribute in a positive way. In conclusion, infant?s near and daily context would tend to generate modifications in his cognitive abilities from the first years of life, reinforcing this the need to generate public policies related to reducing socioeconomic inequalities in the Argentine population.