The Africentric Home Environment Inventory: An Observational Measure of the Racial Socialization Features of the Home Environment for African American Preschool Children

Abstract

The sociocultural context of the home is one of the most important socializing environments for young children. In this study, the authors describe an observational measure for racial socialization features of the home environment. Data were collected during home visits to 200 socioeconomically diverse urban African American families with preschool children, and a principal axis factor analysis revealed a single factor with an internal reliability of .88. The scale varied significantly by socioeconomic status and was significantly correlated with parent involvement and enrichment behaviors and child achievement and problem-solving ability. This inventory is an important complement to parent-report measures for the study of racial socialization and the development of preschool African American children and will contribute to the understanding of the importance of culturally anchored socialization practices for the optimal development of children of color.