Background/Purpose Socioeconomic status (SES) and affordances in the home environment are important factors influencing infant motor development. However, little is known about the relationship between these factors. The present study examined the relationship between family SES and specific aspects of the home environment (affordances) that promote infant motor development (Physical Space, Daily Activities and Play Materials).
Method This exploratory study included 250 Brazilian families with infants between 3-18 months of age. We assessed the home using the Affordances in the Home Environment for Motor Development - Infant Scale (AHEMD-IS). The instrument has been reported as a valid and reliable questionnaire designed to assess the quantity and quality of affordances in the home environment that are conducive to motor development in infants (Caçola et al., 2010). The ABEP questionnaire (Brazilian Association of Research Companies) was used to assess family SES. The ABEP measures personal material wealth and is a standardized index of economic classification, based on the family's power of consumption.
Analysis/Results Spearman correlation test procedures indicated a significant relationship between SES and the AHEMD-IS total score (r=0.471, p<.001). That is, higher categories of SES were associated with higher AHEMD-IS scores. Considering specific dimensions of the home environment, significant correlations were found for Play Materials (r=0.481, p<.001) and Physical Space (r=0.240, p<.001), but not for the Daily Activities dimension.
Conclusions The findings suggest that socioeconomically privileged children in Brazil have a larger number of opportunities for motor development in their home environment, compared to those with lower SES.