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More evidence for reach out and read: a home-based study
Carol Cohen Weitzman1, Lisa Roy, Theodore Walls
1Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8064, USA. carol.weitzman@yale.edu
Pediatrics
|May 4, 2004
Summary
The Reach Out and Read (ROR) program significantly improved children's home literacy environments. Increased ROR encounters positively impacted the home literacy profile, even when controlling for environmental quality.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Early Childhood Literacy
- Family Environment Studies
Background:
- The Reach Out and Read (ROR) program is a clinic-based literacy intervention proven to enhance literacy in disadvantaged children.
- Direct observation of the home literacy environment and controlling for confounding factors like home quality have not been previously studied in relation to ROR.
- Understanding the impact of ROR frequency on the home literacy environment is crucial for optimizing early childhood development interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between the frequency of Reach Out and Read (ROR) encounters during well-child visits and a child's home literacy profile.
- To control for significant confounders, specifically the quality of the home environment, in assessing the impact of ROR.
- To provide empirical data on how clinic-based literacy programs influence the home literacy environment.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 137 children aged 18-30 months receiving care at Yale-New Haven Hospital.
- Data collection included parent interviews, direct observation, and medical record review to determine ROR encounter frequency.
- The Child Home Literacy Index and the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) scale were used to assess the home literacy and overall home environment quality.
Main Results:
- Of 100 families completing the study, ROR encounters ranged from 0 to 6 books.
- While 93% of families reported reading to their children, fewer identified reading as a favorite child or joint activity (35% and 45%, respectively).
- Hierarchical linear regression indicated that increased ROR encounters explained a small but significant 5% of the variance in the child's home literacy profile, with the overall model explaining 19% of the variance.
Conclusions:
- The Reach Out and Read (ROR) program demonstrates a significant positive impact on the home literacy environment.
- Even a modest literacy intervention delivered through well-child visits can influence family literacy practices.
- Findings underscore the importance of integrating literacy interventions into routine pediatric care to support early childhood development.