Development and validation of a home literacy questionnaire for Malayalam-speaking preschoolers

Environmental contexts, particularly the home literacy environment (HLE), play a significant role in shaping children's early literacy development. Despite this, there are no validated tools available in Malayalam, the primary language spoken in Kerala, India, for assessing key environmental factors. Therefore, this study aimed to develop and validate the Home Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ) for Malayalam speaking preschool children.

Questionnaire items were developed based on established frameworks of the HLE and underwent content validation by the experts. The content validity of the questionnaire was evaluated using the content validity index (CVI), including both item-level (I-CVI) and scale-level (S-CVI) indices. Based on the CVI results and expert feedback, necessary revisions were made, and it was subsequently administered to 300 parents. Percentage analysis was employed to examine the distribution of responses for each questionnaire item. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed to evaluate the construct validity. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha.

The HLQ demonstrated satisfactory content validity, with acceptable I-CVI and S-CVI values. CFA results indicated an acceptable model fit, supporting the construct validity of the questionnaire. The scale also showed good internal consistency, with satisfactory Cronbach's alpha values. Response patterns provide insights into parental reading practices, child literacy habits, parental literacy beliefs, parent child literacy interactions and the physical environment within the home.

The findings suggest that that the HLQ is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing key dimensions of the home literacy environment among Malayalam speaking preschool children. The questionnaire offers a comprehensive means of evaluating literacy related practices and resources within the home and may facilitate future research examining the influence of the HLE on children's literacy development.