Developmental Screening and Family Resilience for Infants and Toddlers in Homeless Shelters

This study investigated motor and language development among infants and toddlers staying in family homeless shelters. We tested contributors to resilience and maladaptation, while also considering characteristics of developmental screening. Participants were 128 children (2-week to 35 months old; M = 8.54 months; 73% Black/African American) and their parents staying in eight urban family shelters. Data spanned time points about 2 months apart, involving an interview, parent-child play task, and a repeated, standardized observational screening measure. On average, this sample showed motor delays relative to age-based norms, and language delays for toddlers but not infants, a finding that may signal challenges in assessing language in young infants. Parent depression symptoms predicted lower gains in language, and parent education predicted higher gains in language. Positive parenting predicted gains in motor scores and a non-significant trend for language. We interpreted results as evidence of complex developmental processes of resilience and risk. Parent functioning is a key predictor of resilience and should be included in developmental screening of very young children who experience adversity. Shelter design, policy, and practices also should reflect consideration of early childhood development and parent empowerment.